Revenge is a Dish Best Served Hot
by Prince Thomas' Aunt
Summary: Set Post-Curse Prince Charming realizes that he owes his true love a lot of kisses, several hundred apologies and more than a few rounds of fervent lovemaking to make up for all the pain he has caused. With so much ground to cover, he had better get started right away. After all, After all, happiness is the best revenge and revenge is best when it is hot.
1. Chapter 1

Set Post-Curse Prince Charming realizes that he owes his true love a lot of kisses, several hundred apologies and more than a few rounds of fervent lovemaking to make up for all the pain he has caused. With so much ground to cover, he had better get started right away.

Disclaimer: All of these wonderful characters and their worlds belong to ABC.

Right now I am giving this a Teen rating for some sensuality between Charming and Snow. Nothing gratuitous or graphic though. I may change the rating for a subsequent chapter.

This is my first fan fic here. I gladly accept suggestions or advice.

Chapter 1: Rediscovery

Prince Charming ran his thumb across the swollen lips of his beautiful wife. Her lips were even redder than usual because they had just been thoroughly kissed seconds before.

"Are you alright?" He asked his wife, his voice dripping with concern that was only surpassed by the concern in his eyes.

He would sooner cut out his own heart than do anything to cause her pain. Unfortunately, as David Nolan, he had repeatedly hurt the woman he loved more than life. He knew that it was going to take more than a few kisses, several hundred apologies and much more than a few rounds of fervent lovemaking to make up for all the pain he had caused.

If the glow on her lovely face and the sparkle in her eyes was any indication, the last 20 minutes had been a good start.

"Of course, I am better than alright, I am euphoric," She assured him with a smile as she fastened the top buttons on her shirt, tried to smooth down her hair and to regain some of her composure.

The red flush began to recede from her cheeks. She looked down the alley and then up at her newly re-found husband. Charming wore a goofy grin on his face and there was a light in his eyes that she had not seen in a very long time.

What had started as a passionate kiss in the middle of Main Street of Storybrooke, had ended with Prince Charming taking his wife, Snow White, up against a wall in the alley behind Granny's Diner. It had been quick and lust filled, as if 28 years of passion had been stuffed into a balloon and it had suddenly exploded in white heat.

"28 years is a long time to be apart," Charming whispered as he skillfully moved in to steal a kiss from his gorgeous wife. "I missed you, Snow."

She smiled and took hold of his hand, squeezing it tightly, "I missed you too," She could hardly bear to look away or let go of his hand, she was afraid that if she did, he would somehow slip away. Vanish before her very eyes and she would find that the last 20 minutes had been nothing but a dream.

"I just can't believe that we did that in an alley of all places." It feels kind of naughty," She sly admitted as her cheeks turned red once more. Thankfully, the streets seemed to be deserted.

His eyes twinkled and a smile crept across his face, "Give me a few hours and I'll show you the meaning of the word naughty." He grabbed her hand and led her out of the alley and she realized that she would follow him anywhere.

First, they needed to stop and refuel. The diner was empty, except for Ella who was behind the counter. She looked up when they entered and joyously greeted her friends.

"James, Snow, I seems like it has been ages since I last saw the two of you!" Ella exclaimed, as Snow hugged her friends.

"Ella, what are you doing here?" Charming asked.

A puzzled expression crossed the face of the blonde princess.

"I was watching the diner for Granny and Red or rather Ashley was watching the diner. It is very confusing, although you two don't seem confused at all."

She gave them both a look of approval. She had caught enough footmen and chambermaids in the kitchen pantry of the palace to know what her dear friends had been up to. She also knew that they sometimes got so caught up in their roles as royal leaders and protectors that they forgot to save time for each other. Ella sometimes wondered how the two workaholics had found the time to sire a child. Maybe that was changing.

"I take it you had no trouble reconnecting?" Ella gave them a pleasant smile.

Snow blushed, if only her friend knew the half of it.

"Do you need to find Thomas?" Charming asked.

Ella shook her head, "I just spoke to him on the phone; he and Alex are fine, confused, but otherwise well."

She looked at her friends as if she suspected they knew more about what was happening than they were willing to admit.

"The four of us will get together soon," Charming promised. "We have much to discuss."

Ella gave him an exasperated look, "James, you can not save everyone all the time. Thomas and I are fine. However, I except a dinner invitation from the two of you, provided we can get a sitter for Alex and you and Snow are paying at the nicest restaurant in town."

"Consider it done," He gave her a mock bow and a grin.

"Now, what can I get for you? I guess I am in charge until Red and Granny come back, if they come back," Ella seemed a little frightened.

"I saw them on the street about 30 minutes ago," Snow reassured her friend. "Ella, I don't think anyone has gone anywhere. Why don't you pack us up some sandwiches and pie and then close up here. Go home to your family."

Ella smiled as she bagged up the order, "Snow, you always have the best ideas."

The two princesses hugged and promise to be in touch soon. Ella hung a closed sign on the door as they left. Charming led his wife to his truck and started out for a surprise location.

He had brought a blanket from his truck and had placed it on the floor of the front room of the cabin. He had built a fire in the fireplace and found cushions to place on the floor as well. He found a dozen candles in a trunk and lit those.

He looked around the room and decided that it might just be romantic enough for his wife. When you came from a fairytale land you didn't have to try to be romantic. With the lush palaces, curse breaking kisses and endless woods for dreamy saunters, romance just seemed to happen by magic. In this strange world that he now found himself he realized that romance was a challenge.

He hoped that he had gotten it a little right. The last time they had been in the cabin, as Mary Margaret and David, he had been in the process of breaking her heart, they thought his fake wife might be pregnant and it had been raining. This time, he wanted everything to be perfect. He wanted to erase those old feelings and create new memories.

"Charming, can I come in yet?" His wife asked impatiently.

He opened the door and led her into the room, holding on tightly to her hand. Even in the dim light cast by the candles and fire he could see tears forming in her eyes. He was afraid that she was dwelling on their last visit to the cabin.

"This was a bad idea, I am so sorry. Snow, say something!" He pleaded.

She swallowed a lump that was forming in her throat. "It is beautiful in here and so perfect."

He let out a breath that he hadn't even realized he was holding.

He helped her settle on the blanket and cushions.

"Are you hungry, should we eat?" He asked.

She shook her head, "No." "I'm not hungry…yet."

That was the answer he wanted to hear. This was going to be different from the alley. They would take their time and explore each other's bodies and reconnect on a level that only true love could bring.

He knelt down on the blanket and reached out to intertwine her hands with his own. They stayed like that for what seemed like a small eternity as if they wanted desperately to savor the moment. He ran his finger across the ring on her left hand. His mother's ring, the one that led him back to her what now seemed like a lifetime ago.

"How did you keep track of it for all these years?" He asked.

"Simple, I never let it leave my finger." She answered honestly.

Being there together was almost too good to be true. Mary Margaret and David had been together several times over the past year, but there always seemed to be something missing from those encounters. They had never truly felt free to each give themselves to the other. His fake marriage had hung over that relationship like a hammer about to drop and squash their love.

Nothing stood between now. There was no reason for them to be apart for even a moment longer. Charming kissed his wife lightly on the lips and then pulled back to look at her face.

She was not satisfied with his gentle peck on the mouth and she pulled his face towards her until they were engaged in a passionate embrace.

She ran her hands through his hair and she used her fingers to message at the nape of his neck and kissed him with an intensity that left him nearly breathless.

"That is nice," He moaned before kissing her on the lips, the throat and behind each of her ears.

She let out a whimper as he hit a sensitive spot.

He was thankful that after all the time they spent apart, he still knew her sensitive spots, the areas that he only had to kiss lightly or run his tongue along in order to drive her mad.

She was thankful too, but she was too concerned with getting his shirt off to worry about much else. She longed to feel his skin beneath her hands and to move him the way he was moving her. She felt her pulse quicken as he ran his tongue along her throat and she found it increasingly difficult to concentrate on her task.

"Are you trying to drive me crazy?" She asked him with baited breath.

She finally undid the last button on his shirt and slipped the offending garment off of his shoulders and ran her hands down his smooth chest.

She stopped when her eyes fell upon the scars. The oldest and lightest one was from the arrow that had pierced his shoulder when he had stopped her from killing Regina.

The other two were on his shoulder and chest right over his heart.

Of course, the one on his chin was from the rock she had used to knock him off balance so she could escape at their first meeting.

She ran her thumb along the blemishes.

She had seen them before when he had been in the hospital. She had occasionally helped the nurses change his gowns. She had presumed that they were scars from the accident that had sent him into the coma. Now, she realized they were scars from the arrow he had taken in order to save her from darkness and the near mortal wounds he had suffered while saving their daughter. He saw tears fill her eyes as her gaze lingered on the scars.

"You never had any scars until you met me," She said as she ran her thumb along the scar on his shoulder.

He felt her body shake in his arms and he wanted to reassure her, he needed to reassure her.

It had been true. He had fought a dragon and come out without a scratch, yet within minutes of meeting the love of his life, he had ended up with a bloody chin.

Still, he would never dream of changing a moment of his life since he had met her. He proudly wore every scar as a symbol of his devotion to her, their family and to their love.

He took her hand and lifted it to his lips in a gentle kiss, "Don't feel bad for me. I would gladly suffer a thousand similar wounds in order to protect my family."

Snow felt that those were the most beautiful words anyone had ever spoken to her.

"I love you so much," She told him as she kissed him slowly and thoroughly starting with the scar on his chin and working her way down to the one over his heart.

He moaned something that she didn't catch, but it sounded like, "I love you too, Snow," and then he proceeded to quickly unbutton her shirt and slip it off of her shoulders. They took turns kissing each other on the lips, neck, and shoulders.

When neither one of them could stand being apart for a moment longer, Charming carefully lowered his wife's body onto the blanket where they proceeded to give into their passions slowly and methodically for the better part of the afternoon.

Afterwards, he held her on his lap as they ate their take out lunch. They did not bother to get dressed. The fire had warmed the room to a comfortable temperature and they both delighting in just being together.

"Where are we going to live?" Snow suddenly asked.

Charming hadn't even considered that question. David had taken a room at Granny's, but he had been on his way out of town to move to Boston, so he had let that room go. Mary Margaret had an apartment with Emma. That might be a little awkward now that Emma knew who her parents were.

"I suppose that Abigail will want to live in the house with Fredrick," Charming stated.

"Fredrick is here in Storybrooke?" Snow asked.

"You never met him since he was handling that troll uprising at the same time as our wedding. Here I think you know him as the gym teacher at your elementary school." Charming casually informed her.

Her face fell and then it turned scarlet red.

"Are you positive that is Frederick?" She asked biting her lip nervously.

Realization dawned on his face, "You slept with Frederick?" He asked his voice filled with disbelief.

"I showered with him is more like it, it was during a heat wave at the school and the power had been interrupted. We had been left there to make sure that nothing happened during the black out."

"Fredrick?" He asked again with skepticism in his voice.

"We were alone and maybe we got bored and we ended up in the shower in the boys locker room and you were in a coma for 28 years!" Her voice was rising as well.

"The curse made us both do stupid things, for god sake, David gave me the wrong card on Valentine's Day!"

She was right they had both made mistakes that they were going to have to learn to forgive and forget.

"Besides, have you seen him?" She asked defensively.

"Clearly, not in the same light as you have," He teased, and then continued, "You can take Fredrick as a free card. One night, after several bottles of wine, David and Katharine tried to reconnect." He gave her a guilty look.

"I figured that it had happened at least once, hence her need for a pregnancy test," Snow pouted.

"If it makes you feel any better, it was pretty horrible, but I think it makes us even as far as Fredrick and Abigail are concerned. It may be a little awkward at Thanksgiving dinner, but we'll survive," He teased.

"We are not having dinner with Abigail and Fredrick, Thanksgiving or any other day," Snow was adamant.

"Point taken," he admitted.

"Do you think Fredrick will tell Abigail?" She asked.

"He is most likely doing so at this very moment." Charming cringed.

"Do you think she will slap me again?" Snows eyes grew big, but she tried to suppress a giggle at the same time.

"You might want to keep your distance for a while," He tried not to laugh as well. "I might have to cancel the Labor Day backyard barbeque." He shrugged.

She gave him a shocked look and then they both burst out laughing. It was an emotional release that had been building for a long time.

"Some of it was just so ridiculous," She said shaking her head.

"Still, 28 years was a long time to wait for me. Is there anything else I need to know?" He waited with baited breath.

Snow thought for a moment, bit the side of her bottom lip and gave him a serious look.

"There was one guy that I really connected with, I think I could have loved him nearly as much as I love you. Physically, the relationship was pretty great," She watched his face register jealousy.

He stood up and walked over to the window. His body was illuminated by the candles and the late afternoon light streaming in through the cabin windows. Snow felt her breath catch in her chest. She couldn't see his face and she was relived, it would easier to say this if she didn't have to look him in the eyes. She pulled the blanket up close to her chin. What she had to say was going to be painful for him to hear, but it had to be said if they were going to have any chance of moving on.

"He made me feel special and beautiful and sexy," She continued.

"You are all of those things," Her husband whispered.

"Maybe I needed someone to remind me of that. He made me so happy at times," she said wistfully. "I had not felt that way in a very long time," She continued.

She watched his body language and saw him become tense. "Emotionally, He and I just couldn't connect though. And that hurt me so badly"

"Is this mystery man still here?" Charming whispered as he turned around to face the woman he loved more than life.

He knelt back down on the blanket beside her. He looked towards the fire, which had started to burn down and wondered if he should add more wood. Mostly, he wanted to know who this man was who had hurt her so badly. This was no ordinary degree of hurt that she had suffered; he could see that much in her eyes and hear the pain in her voice.

"Thankfully, he appears to be gone for good," She reached up and caressed his cheek, titled her head and gazed up at him, wondering how long it would take for him to understand.

The truth finally dawned on him, "Was it David?" He asked with sadness in his voice.

"Yes, it was." She answered in a matter of fact voice.

"I am so sorry!" Tears glistened in his eyes. "I know that mere words are not enough to erase all the pain I caused."

He had said it so many times in the past few months and it never had been enough. Snow realized that because of the curse, David had never been capable of making her believe that he really was sorry and that he could change and not hurt her again. David had said the words to sooth his own ego and he had always peppered them with excuses. Her Prince Charming stood before her now naked, literally and figuratively, and spoke the words with love in his heart and a voice tinged with pain and she believed every syllable.

The minute the curse had ended he remembered who he really was, while at the same time he couldn't forget who he had been for over a year. He felt the pain of every thing that he had said and done as David. Every sharp word, every moment of mistrust, every time that he had failed to choose her, those moments were scars on his heart that he would carry for a long time. They hurt as much or more than the physical scars on his body. He wondered if her forgiveness was too much to ask.

She looked up at him and he saw love in her eyes and he also saw forgiveness and it felt wonderful.

"It is enough," She answered simply.

She pulled him back down to her and wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned her head on his shoulder. She inhaled the scent of his skin and reveled at being in his arms. Every painful and lonely moment from the past 28 years evaporated. She knew him well enough to know that he would take it hard though. He would feel the pain of his betrayal for a lot longer than she. He would try and make it up to her over and over, which wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing. She had a few sins to atone for as well. One was preying on her mind at the moment.

"You know about my fling with Dr. Whale I suppose?" She asked, pulling back to look him in the eyes.

"Dear, everyone knows about that," He remarked sarcastically. "I have to admit I wanted to throttle him at the time. A part of me still wants to hurt him badly. I really need to find my sword first" He shrugged.

Snow imagined a scenario where Emma had to arrest her father for killing Storybrooke's leading physician.

"Dr. Whale is so not worth it," She nonchalantly informed her husband. "But, if Fredrick is my freebie?" She asked hesitantly.

"You are going to have to pay dearly for your dalliance with Dr. Whale," Charming dryly informed his wife, but there was a teasing gleam in his eyes.

"Actually, I think am going to enjoy paying that debt." She leaned over and kissed him passionately.

He looked over at the fire again. Maybe he should add more wood. On the other hand, if they didn't get dressed soon they might end up in jail for trespassing.

"In that case, where shall we go next, my love?" He whispered in her ear.

"You already took me to heaven and back," She smiled. "We have so much to make up for, so many places with sad memories that I want to replace with happy ones."

Snow thought for a moment and a grin spread across her face, "We should go to the animal shelter. That was the first place that you really started to lose faith in us."

She tried not to show how much it still hurt.

"Whatever my lady wishes, all she has to do is say the word." Her husband informed her.

"In that case, let's finish lunch first," She kissed him again, and then she swiped part of his sandwich.

Next Up: The Toll bridge


	2. Chapter 2: to Catch a Thief

Set Post-Curse Prince Charming realizes that he owes his true love a lot of kisses, several hundred apologies and more than a few rounds of fervent lovemaking to make up for all the pain he has caused. With so much ground to cover, he had better get started right away.

I big thank you to everyone who posted a review, marked my story as a favorite or is following it.

The creative energy in this forum is just amazing!

Disclaimer: All of these wonderful characters and their worlds belong to ABC.

Chapter 2: to Catch a Thief.

On the way back into town Snow and Charming stopped off at the Toll Bridge.

The bridge was a place that held mixed memories. It was where David had told Mary Margret that he remembered his life with Katherine and that he was going to try and make his marriage work.

The two of them also shared found memories of afternoons spent in secret, romantic encounters.

It was late afternoon when they arrived and the day had turned warm. They had left their jackets in the truck. Now they stood hand in hand on the bridge looking down at a pool of water that had formed under a waterfall at the side of the river.

"I think the world in general is more beautiful today than it was yesterday," Snow gave her husband an adoring look.

"It is certainly much warmer today," He remarked, eyeing the crystal clear water at the base of the falls.

The afternoon had turned very warm; in fact Snow could not remember a time in Storybrooke when the weather had been so nice. For as long as she could remember, the weather in the small town had been teetering on the edge of summer. She always believed that it was because the town was in New England, but now she realized it had been a part of the curse.

Impulsively, Charming took her hand and started to run down the slope of the riverbank towards the small pool. Before she realized what was happening he had stripped down to his boxer shorts and had plunged into the cool pool of water. He floated near the edge and gave her and inviting look.

"Are you just going to stand there or will you join me?" He grinned.

Snow didn't remember her husband being so impulsive.

David was impulsive. In fact, he was mostly driven by impulse. The impulse to be with her, the impulse to honor his supposed memories of Katherine, the impulse to call her in the middle of the day and seduce her into joining him for a riverside picnic. Maybe every aspect of David hadn't disappeared when the curse had been lifted. Clearly some of the positive aspects of the man she had loved for the past year remained. Only time would tell how they would integrate those aspects into their true selves. For the moment, she was enjoying seeing this impulsive, carefree side of her husband.

"If you do not join me in this water soon, I am going to feel a little foolish." He husband pouted.

There was the prudent man the whole kingdom loved.

"We simply cannot have Prince Charming looking foolish," She teased as she striped off her outer layers of clothing.

He started to laugh, "How did I get lucky enough to end up married to such a gorgeous woman, giving woman?"

She slipped into the water and wrapped her arms around his neck, "Luck had nothing to do with it; we have worked hard for what we have."

The water was warm and Snow let it was over her body and ease tension that she had not realized she was carrying. She adored her husband and she loved every minute of the time they had spent together. But, physically she was starting the feel the effects of making love in an alley and, repeatedly, on the cabin floor. From the look in his eyes, they were far from finished.

"How do you feel?" He asked as he messaged her shoulders.

"Free," was her simple answer as she leaned her head on his chest.

He raised a hand to caress her cheek and then ran it through her hair. A momentary look of longing flickered through his eyes.

"You haven't mentioned my hair." She stated.

"I've had a year to get used to it," He whispered.

"Is it something you had to get used to?" She was genuinely astonished.

"Not at all. You are beautiful, Snow because of who you are, regardless of how long or short you wear your hair. When I first met you it was after you had been hiding in the forest for months. Your appearance was hardly breathe-taking."

"Excuse me, what is that supposed to mean?" She was visibly irritated. Maybe the honeymoon was indeed over.

Was it his imagination, or was the water getting colder. Snow moved as far away from him as she could.

"This is not going well," He sighed.

She raised an eyebrow in irritation, "At least you noticed." She crossed her arms across her chest in a defensive stance.

"Let me put it this way. There have been times since I first laid eyes on you that you have been so breathtakingly beautiful that I can hardly believe that you are real."

He could see from the way that she relaxed that he had her attention.

"Go on," She prompted.

A few moments that spring instantly to mind are the way you looked on our wedding day. You literally glowed the entire 9 months you were pregnant with Emma, even when you were worried about the curse. You continually stole the breath from my body on our wedding night, and the morning after our wedding night," A smile crept across his face as he mentally reviewed those moments in his mind.

"You were pretty breathtaking on our wedding night as well," She admitted with a blush.

"Even the way you looked in the alley earlier today was simply stunning," He paused to think about that moment.

"Really you think I looked good in the alley?" She asked with a voice tinged with skepticism.

"Every time I look at you, I fall deeper and deeper in love," His voice held such emotion that he could hardly speak. "Not only because you are physically beautiful, but because you are the strongest, loving, most loyal, bad-ass, and sexy woman I have ever met and I consider myself extremely fortunate to have you in my life."

She had moved back closer to him, "You are probably right." She stated simply as she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him in for a kiss.

Before that could happen they heard rustling in the bushes and saw a raccoon running off with their clothes. Charming bounded out of the water and started to chase the critter, "Hey!" He yelled

It was the first time in a longtime that Snow had really gotten a good look at her husband by the light of day. For a man who had spent 28 years lying in a hospital bed, he was in incredible shape. She felt equally as lucky to have him in her life. She also realized how lucky they were to have these few hours to themselves.

They had never been swimming together in a river in their own realm. They had far too many responsibilities to indulge in such frivolous behavior. It was not so much that her husband saw himself in the role of "Prince Protector"; it was more like a big brother role for Prince James.

She suspected that they would soon find themselves overwhelmed with responsibility in this realm as well. When Charming had told Ella that he would speak with Thomas soon, Snow knew what he meant.

Sean and Ashley didn't have much and that wasn't going to change overnight just because the curse had been broken. Charming would see that they had anything that they needed. She wasn't sure how, but he would bend over backwards to make sure their friends had everything they needed.

She loved him for it, but sometimes it was hard to find alone time when they were taking care of everyone else.

Charming returned with a bundle that resembled her clothes and two blankets he had found in the truck. She regretfully noticed he had redressed. He wrapped her in one of the blanket so she could dry.

"I see you retrieved the stolen property?" She grinned at him.

"Yes and the raccoon apologized. He hadn't realized the clothing belonged to your majesty, since it lacked any royal refinement." His voice was serious.

"You conversed with a raccoon?" She asked with skepticism

"We understood each other well enough," He shrugged. His wife is about to give birth and he wanted to make her as comfortable as possible."

So, even the animals had been transported from their realm and her and Charming seemed to have the same connection to the woodland creatures as always.

"I promised him that we would leave him the blanket as soon as you were dry and dressed," Her husband assured her.

She stood on her toes and kissed him.

"What was that for?" He asked.

"For being such a wonderful and loving man and going out of your way to help a creature of the forest."

Charming had a serious look on his face, "I know what it feels like to be an expectant father. When you were giving birth to our daughter, I would have done anything to make you more comfortable."

Their daughter, they were both thinking about her.

On the way to the cabin Snow had called Emma and found out Henry was going to be fine. He would have to stay in the hospital overnight for observation. She knew that was an unnecessary precaution. Henry hadn't been the victim of a toxin; he had been struck by the sleeping curse. It was the same curse that afflicted her when she ate the apple poisoned by Regina. Emma's love had saved Henry, just as the kiss from her Prince had saved Snow White.

Henry would be fine and safe with Emma. Before they left the bridge, Snow placed the blanket and some food on a rock by the river and silently wished father raccoon the best of luck.

Charming opened the truck door for Snow. He was about to help her into the vehicle when they both saw something that made their blood run cold. Sitting on the seat was a bright red, gleaming apple.

Snow started to physically shake.

"I was just here a few minutes ago retrieving the blankets. That was not there!" He stated with disbelief in his voice.

"Regina is watching us," Snow said as her bottom lip began to quiver.

"Let her watch, in fact I hope she is still watching," He swore angrily as he turned his wife around so that she was facing him and away from the truck. He kissed her passionately, a long searing kiss that made it clear to anyone that might be spying them that love and happiness had prevailed. He wanted to make his beloved feel safe.

"I will not let Regina or anyone hurt us ever again." He vowed as he held her tightly against his chest

"How can we stop her?" She whispered. "When I was being held on suspicion of killing Katherine, Regina paid me a visit in my cell to gloat about the fact that she was finally going to be rid of me for good." She pulled back where she could see his face. He was shocked and he was angry.

"When was this and where was Emma at the time?" He asked. "Emma was supposed to be protecting you".

"It was right before they were scheduled to move me to the state prison. It was early in the morning and Emma hadn't arrived yet. I was alone and she was the mayor and she had access to everywhere. She was so angry and she was yelling at me about how I was going to get what I deserved."

Snow was shaking and sobbing and clinging to her husband for dear life.

"She will not be given the opportunity hurt us." He whispered into her hair.

Charming pulled back and picked up the apple and tossed it hard and far into the woods.

With controlled anger in his voice he yelled into the woods," Do you hear me, Regina? If you come near my family, that includes Snow, Emma or Henry, every again I will kill you!" He pulled his wife tightly against his chest again and took deep breath to try and let his anger subside.

"Would you really kill her?" Snow asked swallowing a sob.

"Yes," he replied with serious coldness in his voice.

"We have given her too many chances and she has failed to repent. She pilfered nearly 30 years of our lives from us. She robed us of the chance of watching our child grow up to be the wonderful woman she is today. We missed our first wedding anniversary. She has put us through the worst year of our lives these past 12 months. I will not let that slide." He was now shaking with anger.

"Vengeance is never the answer," Snow whispered.

"It is not vengeance I seek. Vengeance is repeatedly making a woman pay for something she did as an innocent child and not caring who else gets swept up in your tirade!"

"Was I so innocent?" She quietly asked.

"You were ten years old, Snow, of course you were innocent. Vengeance is the game of a coward and I am no coward. What I seek is justice!"

The anger in his voice had been replaced by strength and determination.

If she comes after my loved ones again, I will make sure it is the last thing she ever does. I will pulverize her" he promised.

The determination in his voice and the strength in his arms made Snow feel safe.

"If it is justice you seek, then we will find it together," She vowed with equal fortitude.

They both collapsed to the ground, still holding onto to each other tightly, "I really need to find my sword." He whispered.

He felt her relax in his arms and she let out a sound that was a cross between a laugh and sob.

They both looked towards the forest where the apple had landed and was now pulverized.

"I know you hate apples," Charming stated. "How do you feel about apple sauce?" He asked with a gleam in his eyes.

She gave him the smallest smile, "I think I could learn to like apple sauce."

They were both still shaking, but Snow had stopped sobbing.

"Do you want to call and check on Emma and Henry?" He asked.

"Yes." She answered as she took out her phone.

He kissed her long and hard and then held her other hand while she dialed.

"Good, because I don't think I am in any condition to drive right now," He said as he sat down on the hard ground."

Emma picked up on the first ring and he could hear her on the other end of the line.

"I am not supposed to be answering my phone in this room." Emma stated in a perturbed voice.

"Is everything alright there? Have you seen Regina?" Snow asked.

"Everything is fine. Henry is eating and he has already been up for a walk. Regina is banned from his room. If she tries to set one foot in here, I will kick her butt into the next county." She was clearly controlling her language in front of Henry. That made Snow smile.

"I already told you that I am staying here tonight," Emma continued." If you feel the need to check up on us again, text me! The phone line went dead

"I think Emma has the hospital situation under control." Snow stated with pride in her voice.

A small smile crossed Charming's face, "That girl is fierce." He remarked.

"I wonder who she gets that from?" They both said at the same moment.

"Are you alright?" He asked with great concern in his voice as he helped her to her feet.

"Talking to Emma helped," She admitted.

He still saw sadness in her eyes and it nearly broke his heart.

"Is this ever going to end?" Snow asked with tears in her eyes. "Will we ever escape from this shadow of evil?"

Charming used the pads of his thumbs to wipe her tears, "We already have. We are together and there is nothing Regina can do to separate us ever again. Revenge is a dish best served steaming hot and that is exactly what I am planning on serving up to our enemies. I love you, Snow, and celebrating our love is the best type of payback."

He helped her into the truck.

"I meant what I said. I will not tolerate any threats towards the safety or happiness of my family," He swore.

He started the truck and only looked back to make sure that no one was following them as they drove away. He thought maybe he saw something in the woods, a lingering darkness, but it might have been a trick of the light.

Snow rested her head on his shoulder and for the time being, they could believe that everything was perfect.

Next up: The animal shelter and Mr. Gold's Pawn Shop.


	3. Chapter 3: To Treasures Lost and Found

Authors Note: This is basically Snowing fluff. I wanted to give my favorite couple one perfect day. Which we will never get to see on the small screen because it would probably cause all the non shippers to tune out and the ratings would fall and that would be tragic.

As mentioned in pervious chapters, I do not own these characters. I only adore them and the world in which they live and wanted to play in that world for a while.

Chapter 3: To Treasures Lost and Found

As they drove back into town, Snow looked out of the window, lost in thought.

Charming reached over and took a hold of her hand and raised it to his lips to kiss the inside of her wrist.

"Shouldn't you keep both hands on the wheel?" She asked skeptically as she rose an eyebrow.

"The speed limit is all of 15 miles per hour, the road is straight and there is no other traffic. I think we are safe," He gave her a giddy smile.

They were both still having a hard time believing that they had found each once again.

"If we had our carriage and driver, we would not have to worry about traffic," She sighed.

A satisfied smile crossed his face, "If we had a driver, we could not have possibly have done half the things we did this afternoon."

Snow Sighed, "I suppose not." She conceded him that very important point. Having servants around had a way of putting a damper on your love life.

"Will you be unhappy here without the places and fine clothes?" A worried look crossed his face.

"Not necessarily," A pensive look had crept into her eyes. "Since the curse was broken, I do wonder why we are still in this land?"

He was just as puzzled as she was, "Maybe there is nothing to go back to in our own world. Maybe this is where we belong now. There are things in this world that anchor us here. For one thing, if we went back, what would become of Emma and Henry?"

Snow hadn't thought of it in those terms.

He glanced at her quickly with concern in his eyes.

"If we are stuck here, I will spend every day of my life trying to make you as happy and comfortable as possible. If you want nicer clothes that is what you shall have. If you don't like the way I drive, we will hire a driver. It might get a little crowded in this front seat though. We may have to take your car," He shrugged. "I may not be able to build you a palace though."

She burst out laughing, "I think we can manage to be happy without all of the royal trimmings. Can you imagine me trying to teach a class in some of the outfits I dressed in right after we were married?"

"I have seen how some of your male students look at you as it is, but they would fall head over heels in love with you," He grinned. The girls would all want to borrow your clothes. You are beautiful regardless of how you dress. "He whispered with heartfelt sincerity. "Snow, I will give you your happy ending if it takes me the rest of my life."

"Wherever you, Emma and Henry are, that is where I will find my happy ending, "Snow smiled. Besides, Fancy clothes are not all always that comfortable," She admitted. "Day and day out we had to dress the part of the Prince and Princess. Didn't you ever want to throw on something woolen and go tend sheep?"

"Heard, you heard sheep." He gave her a puzzled look.

He had never told her about his true past. Whenever he had tried to tell Snow about his mother or his past, she had always redirected the conversation. There was no time like the present though and he was going to tell her everything.

He pulled the truck over to the side of the road and turned towards his wife.

"Snow, there is something I need to tell you…" He never got the chance to finish.

"I did like the leather outfit. I never got tired of you wearing that." She said seductively as she reached over and placed her hand on his knee. She then proceeded to run her hand up to his thigh. All rationally thought evaporated from his head like mist on a sweltering day.

"I liked it particularly on our wedding night," She continued as she used her thumb to make little circles on the inside of his thigh.

He was glad that he had pulled the truck over because if she was trying to distract him, she was doing an excellent job.

"Do you remember our wedding night, Charming?" She asked, her voice was a smooth as silk.

"We were just talking about it less than an hour ago," He reminded her. "Of course I remember our wedding night. You tormented me mercilessly that night." He gasped. She had swung one leg over his and was almost in his lap. He found himself wondering when his wife had been replaced by the Siren from the Lake. She was clearly trying to seduce him and he was not sure why she had chosen then and there to make her move.

"Poor Charming, you sure suffered that night," She let out a little laugh.

His mind drifted back to their wedding. The plan had been to say their vows, stay for a few dances at the ball afterwards and then the two of them were going to discreetly disappear into a waiting carriage that would sprint them away to the Summer Palace where they were to spend their wedding night. After Regina made her uninvited appearance, he and Snow had made the mutual decision not to leave their guests until after the ball and the feast. By the end of the festivities, the fancy clothes that Charming had worn for the wedding felt like a prison.

"I had to politely sit there through 7 speeches by 7 dwarfs each one more droning than the next, when all I really wanted to do was get you alone, get you out of that dress and make you my wife in every way possible. How were 7 short men capable of giving such long speeches?" He groaned at the memory.

"Those 7 men are some of my dearest friends," She chastised him. "They took care of me during one of my darkest hours."

"Then, when the never ending dinner and ball finally ended, 28 hours later, I had to sit across from you in our carriage and graciously keep my hands to myself, when what I really wanted to do was ravish you right there on the spot," He grumbled. "The only saving grace was that you had given me time to change out of my wedding outfit and into my traveling clothes, the black leather outfit of which you seem to be so found."

"The wedding feast and ball only lasted a few of hour, not 28, and it did not take us that long to get to the Summer Palace," She reminded him. "Besides, you could not ravish me on the spot, not with the driver and the footmen within hearing distance. It would have not been proper."

"Halfway through the journey, I was ready to toss propriety out the carriage window and into the river," He sighed. Then, when we finally reached the Summer Palace, you made me wait what seemed like hours while you changed clothes!"

"Was I worth the wait?" She asked skeptically.

"You are always worth the wait," He smiled wistfully.

"I think I made it pretty clear multiple times that night I much I appreciated you and how much I loved the leather outfit, "She gave him an beholden look. "I really liked that leather outfit after it got wet a time or three. Every time it got wet it got a little tighter and I liked it even more."

She swung her other leg over his and leaned up to kiss him.

He moved her leg back on the other side of the seat and gave her a teasing look.

"So, now we come to the real reason that you threw me in the river the first time we met, you wanted to see my outfit shrink!" He grinned knowingly.

"You caught me." She shrugged, but her eyes shined with laughter.

"I will always catch you. You cannot hide anything from me." He replied with a challenging tone in his voice.

She smiled at him innocently.

He wondered if it was really true. Charming was certain that she had just skillfully redirected his thinking and distracted him just enough to keep him from mentioning his past.

They used David's key on the door of the Storybrooke Pet Shelter, but Snow was distracted by all of the birds and they decided to skip that location. She felt as if they would be like making love in front of an audience. She promised to go back the next day and free them all, after finding them good homes of course.

The sun had set and the moon was just rising. Eerie shadows danced across the storefront windows in the deserted downtown area. They walked across the street and Snow picked the lock to the door of the pawn shop.

"Have you ever been in here?" Charming asked.

"No, I never had any reason." Snow answered honestly. In reality, Mr. Gold had always scared Mary Margaret. She had tried to stay out of his way as much as possible.

Charming looked around the room, searching for one thing in particular and was shocked to realize it was no longer in the shop. The unicorn mobile that had hung over Emma's crib had been there the last time he had visited. Now the mobile was missing.

"Charming, is everything alright?" Snow could tell be the troubled expression on his face that something was wrong.

There was no point in mentioning it to his wife, it would only be another reminder or everything that they had lost.

"Everything is fine," He replied. The truth was that everything was more than fine. His life was almost perfect.

Are you sure this is a good idea?" She asked nervously as she stood at the threshold of the shop.

"You mean because of who owns this shop?" He asked. "I am not afraid of him, Snow. Plus, I think I saw my sword the last time I was here." He moved into the shop and started to look around.

Snow stood at the doorway with her hands on her hips.

"They say that is a clear sign of insecurity when a man is that obsessed with his sword," She grinned.

"I am not obsessed!" He turned back to her. "Was that supposed to be sexual?" He asked with a smirk on his face.

"You figure it out." She gave him an innocent look as she rocked back and forth on her heels.

"You are such a temptress." He grinned again as he pulled her into the dark room.

"You are a bad influence on me. How many laws have we broken today? Snow asked wide eyed.

"Too many laws and counting." Charming laughed.

Snows eyes started to adjust to the dark and as they did the objects in the vast shop began to take shape. Her breath caught in her throat as she started to recognize objects.

"That is my dressing table and your chest of drawers. My god, that is our bed!"

She was angry now. "How is it possible that he has our things?" She asked, breathlessly.

"I think he had something to do with the curse." Charming replied.

"And yet, you are really not afraid of him?" Snow asked.

"No, there is no way he can hurt us." Charming casually replied.

"Even though he has magic now?" Snow shivered at the thought.

"We have magic. Are love is stronger than any sleight of hand or simple sorcery. It has also proven time and again to be stronger than any curse. We always find each other and that seems to be a family trait."

She gave him a puzzled look.

"Henry read a storybook that you gave him and was able to figure out that all of it was real," He continued. "He was able to find Emma and she in turn, was able to find us. That is some pretty powerful magic." There was a serious tone in his voce, which had trailed off to a whisper.

"You certainly have a way with words," She gave him one of her patented heart melting smiles. "I think it may be one of your most Charming traits."

He took her hand and led her towards the center of the room where their furniture was laid out in perfect order.

"I wonder if our bed is still as comfortable after 28 years. What married couple can claim to have the same bad after nearly 30 years of marriage?" He bounced down on the bed.

"The springs are still good," He announced as he pulled her down towards him and gently laid her upon the billowy comforter.

She raised a quizzed eyebrow.

"Here?" She inquired.

The sparkle in his eyes was her answer. "Unless you have had enough of me for one day?"

She thought for a moment, she was starting to ache a little, but it was nothing compared to the ache she felt at being apart from the man she loved for so long. Besides, he challenged her with a sexy grin and his blue eyes twinkled like diamonds in the sky.

She felt her heart melt. True to his nickname, her husband was devastatingly charming when he was playing the rouge. She wanted him, right then and there in the den of equity of their second oldest enemy.

Snow White pulled Prince Charming beside her kissed him with a fiery passion and he had his answer.

Sometime later, as moonlight streamed through the window of the pawn shop, she laid her head on his shoulder and sighed. "As comfortable as I am here with you in our bed is and as wonderful as it is to be her in your arms, we can't stay here." He kissed her neck, but he also agreed.

As they got dressed, Snow stated, "We still have the problem of where we are going to live, I doubt Emma wants to live with her parents and the walls in your room at Granny's are so thin. It is nearly as bad as living in a palace." Snow sighed.

"I have been thinking about that, I would like to buy the cabin in the woods. I know it is small, but we could add to it and I know how much you always loved living by the water."

"I love that idea. I have a confession to make. I have snuck out to the cabin by myself a few times this past year. I always felt at peace there. I would love to live there," Snow gleefully replied.

"Also, Tomorrow morning I am marching right in here and buying back everything in this store that is ours." Charming vowed

Snow laughed ,"That is noble, my love. However, unless David Nolan had some secret stash of money, I don't think we can afford to buy a single tea cup in this shop, much less all of our furniture. I have been a school teacher for 28 years and you work at the pet shelter." She frowned. "How are you going to buy the cabin, come to think of it?"

"I have ways of taking care of my family," Charming said softly. "The Queen and Rumplestilskin are not the only ones who were able to bring things with them from our realm." He cryptically admitted.

Before she could press him farther, they saw a light outside of the shop window and heard the door knob turn.

As they bolted out the back door Charming looked back and noticed how crumpled they had left the bed covers and a smile crept across his face.

In the alley behind the shop he stood on one foot trying to put on his shoes while his wife laughed at his efforts. They had made it to another alley without getting caught by whoever had come into the pawn shop.

"That was close." He said.

"Too close." Snow admitted. Do you think it was Mr Gl…er Rumplestilskin?" She asked.

"Hard to tell, I didn't get a good look at them and luckily, I don't think they saw us."

She gave him a sly look. "It is kind of exciting though. A bit of a turn on to almost get caught…"

She bit her bottom lip.

This was a new side to his wife. He always knew she had a sense of adventure, but their love life had been rather subdued back in fairytale land. Passionate and fulfilling as it had been, he couldn't help but wonder if he had been too laid-back with her once she had become his wife.

Maybe it was the alley that was bringing out this side of Snow or maybe she had been up to a few things while he was in the coma. Either way, he wasn't going to let this new side of his wife go to waste.

"There are lot of people I feel like paying back for keeping me and my true love apart," He admitted.

Yes, revenge was much better when it was steaming hot and he and Snow had a few more stops to make on their payback tour.

"Do I know this true love of yours?" Snow asked innocently.

"I think you might know her. Hair dark as night, lips red as blood, skin white as snow. Does that ring any bells?" He teased as he ran his thumb across her lips. "I just hope that she has the stamina to keep up."

Snow gave him a challenging look, "Dear, you are the one doing all the work."

"How long do you think I am going to let you get away with that?" He gave her a sideways glance. "There are a couple scenarios from our wedding night that I am looking forward to recreating."

He placed his arms around her neck and leaned in for a kiss.

She put both hands on the sides of her hips and pulled back, "Find yourself a black leather outfit and we will talk about it." She gave him a sultry pout.

Before he could respond, the back door of the pawn shop opened. They took off out of the alley at a run, holding hands like two adolescents nearly caught making out on the front porch.

Next up: Snowing gets revenge on Dr. Whale


	4. Chapter 4

Thanks again to all the followers of this story. It has been so well received, that I am thinking about writing another one.

Warning: What this chapter is mostly Snowing smut. But, it will be the last chapter that focuses solely on the two of them. From chapter 5 on the focus is going to switch more to their relationships with Emma.

Disclaimer: I own nothing. These characters and their likeness belong to ABC and Disney.

Don't forget ABC is replaying episodes of Once Upon a Time starting this Sunday, August 19th, with "The Heart is a Lonely Hunter"

Chapter 4 A Whale of a Tale for the Grandkids Or Not!

Although he tried his best to live up to his lovely wives' nick name of "Charming," Snow White's husband was still human and he was still a male who was possessive of his wife and prone to jealousy at the thought of her being with another man.

Even though he knew that Snow had slept with Dr Whale because of his stupid actions as a result of the curse, it still ripped at his heart. They both needed closure on that topic and his devilish mind had come up with just the right solution.

They pulled up to the hospital and while he checked on whether Dr. Whale was on duty in the emergency room, Snow went to check on Emma and Henry. It was past visiting hours, but all that time that Mary Margaret had spent as a hospital volunteer paid off. The nurse on duty looked up and saw who it was, smiled and went back to reading a book.

Snow quietly slipped into the room and saw that both the patient and his protector were sound asleep. She leaned over and kissed Henry gentle on the forehead. He stirred, but his eyes remained closed. He had always been her favorite student. She had always felt a bond with him, now she knew why. He was her grandson and as odd as that may sound, it felt right.

Charming found her in the room a few minutes later, she was standing by Emma watching her sleep in a chair beside Henry's bed. He could see the longing and regret in the eyes of his wife.

Looking at his grown daughter he too was overcome with emotion. He was relieved that Emma found them, but he felt a deep sense of sorrow over every missed moment with his their daughter.

"Are you okay?" He asked his wife, his voice dripping with sympathy.

She nodded, "Yes." He could tell that it was far from the truth. There were so many lost moments from Emma's life, moments that they would never recapture.

"If you want to stay, I am sure that the nurse could find another chair. The nurses around here really seem to like me from the time I spent here during the coma," He started out the door. Snow placed her hand on his arm to stop him.

"The room is crowded as it is. They are both sound asleep. I want to stay, but I don't think I need to stay," She replied with a slight hesitation. "I bet the nurses like you, I helped them change your hospital gowns more than once and I am sure that they loved giving you all of those sponge bathes." She said with a touch of jealousy in her voice.

"Does it bother you that I was popular with the staff?"

"Not really," She looped her arm through his protectively. "As long as I was your favorite volunteer." She leaned her head on his shoulder and continued to watch her daughter and grandson.

"Always! No one else even came close," He gave her a heart warming smile. "Are you sure you don't want to stay?"

"I am positive. They are both sleeping so peacefully." She looked back at the sleeping figures; they were both so serene and so beautiful.

"Battling an evil queen can take a lot out of a person. They will probably sleep soundly through the night," Charming agreed. He found a blanket in one of the drawers and draped it over Emma then he kissed her lightly on the forehead.

Once they were in the hall Snow inquired, "Did you find Dr. Whale?"

"I found out that he will be on call in the emergency room all night. I never actually saw him though." She could hear a slight touch of regret in his voice.

"I figured as much since you were not escorted out by security for punching his lights out," She shook her head in relief. "I guess that means there will be no one at his office at the clinic for the rest of the night?" There was a gleam in her eyes that he had spent the better part of the day learning to recognize.

"My thinking exactly," He matched her look gleam for gleam.

They both took one last look at Henry and Emma through the glass windows of the room and headed for the elevator.

They stopped at the door just inside and tried to figure out which office belonged to Dr. Whale. Picking the lock seemed to become easier with each subsequent breaking and entering and if left Charming wondering when his wife had become so adept at breaking and entering. He hardly had more than a few seconds to dwell on the question before she called out to him from down the hall.

"I found his office," She called out cheerfully.

It was a typical doctor consulting office rather than an examination room. There were a couple of over- stuffed chairs and a desk, as well as a leather upholstered couch. There was no computer on the desk, which seemed a bit strange, but maybe Dr. Whale was an old fashion kind of guy. There were a few framed diplomas on the wall, but it was too dark to read them.

"Does he come from our world?" Charming wondered out loud.

"I do not know," Snow replied with a puzzled look on her face. "If so, he is no one I have ever met."

"No matter," Charming replied as he quickly cleared the desk, knocking everything onto the floor. He lifted his wife up onto the desk and quickly had her in a passionate frenzy.

Afterwards they both felt spent. They were both starting to the physical toil of their escapades.

As much as Snow White loved her prince and loved being with him, she needed a break.

She was glowing, exhilarated and also exhausted. So, when he carried her over to the couch and made it very clear that he intended to go another round, she was more than ready to turn the tables on her husband.

She flipped him over on his back and pinned him to the couch by straddling him. He raised an eyebrow.

"This time it's all about you," She teased as she lowered the zipper on his jeans. She kissed him passionately.

She then proceeded to blow his mind, among other things. When she was finished, he could hardly speak, hardly move. He felt as if he had died and gone to heaven.

Finely, he was able to sit up and kiss her zealously.

When they broke the kiss, she sly asked, "Is that a thank you?"

"That does not even begin to express my gratitude," He exclaimed.

His wife had a gift, but he couldn't help wondering if he was the only man with whom she had been sharing her talent. After being apart from her for so long, he figured the nagging doubts were natural.

As if reading his mind, Snow said, "No, I didn't do this with Dr. Whale or any other man, ever. This is reserved for only you, my love." She hadn't even done it for David

"It's alright Snow, you don't have to explain anything. It was all the result of the Curse."

A warm tingle spread through her as she realized that her husband would actually thought that everything she had done, and everything that he had done could be excused by the curse. However, there were a few things that she needed to explain out loud, as much for her own benefit as for that of anyone else.

She turned so that she could see his face, so much love and acceptance radiated from his eyes.

"When you left me at the bridge to go back to Katherine, I was devastated and I turned to him because I thought he could give me something that I desperately craved. I thought he would make me feel wanted and beautiful."

Charming was about to say something, but she put her finger on his lips to shush him.

"I was wrong, he used me and in the end, it made me feel worse. It was just sex and not very good sex at either, what you and I have is sublime."

She folded her hands together and fingered her ring nervously. She still wore it on her right hand. She felt that her husband should be the one to place it back on her left hand.

Charming raised an eye brow in mock sarcasm, "Do you mean to say that he wasn't…"

"As big as a whale?" She finished his sentence and they both laughed.

"Not even close. I guess there are a few people I would like to take my revenge on," Snow sighed.

Charmin glooked around the shambles of the office. Everything from the desk was on the floor, some items were broken. He also thought about what had just taken place on the couch in the bad doctor's office.

"I think the best revenge is for us to be happy together and let me just point out that a few minutes ago, you made me very happy," Her husband smirked.

"I expect you to make me equally as happy at some point this evening, but for now we are not quite finished getting our revenge on Dr. Whale.

When they had arrived at the clinic they had notice that Dr. Whale's sports car was in the back parking lot in his reserved place. Now, the two of them stood over the car in deep contemplation. It was a two seat model, but that probably hadn't stopped the amorous doctor in the past, why should it stop them?

"Does he have an alarm?" Charming asked.

Snow thought for a moment, trying to remember, "No, but the doors are locked and I can't pick those."

The doors to the clinic had not been a challenge, car locks were different.

"How do you know how to pick any locks at all?" He asked.

Maybe this was a skill his wife had picked up in the past 28 years. Maybe meek, Mary Margaret led a double life as a cat burglar.

"I've known how to pick locks for a long time. Stealthy, the 8th Dwarf, who you never met because your father King George had him killed, knew how to pick locks," Snow cringed at the memory of the dwarf's death.

"Anyway, he taught Dopey and Dopey taught me. It is too bad he didn't teach Grumpy to pick a lock, which would have saved a lot of trouble, "She looked at the car locks. "Unfortunately, my talents do not extend to grand theft auto."

"That is alright, you more than make up for it with your other talents." Her husband gave her a mischievous grin.

They were just going to have to improvise. He looked at the hood of the car. It was low to the ground. If he sat on the hood of the car and then pulled Snow onto his lap, they could probably just make it work. They wouldn't even have undress all the way. This would have to be another quickie or they would both likely slide off the metal hood and end up on the pavement in front of the car. His wife was only too happy to help him out of his, but she was a little reluctant when he explained what he needed her to do.

"Do you trust me?" He asked looking right into her eyes in a way that always disarmed all of her defenses. She nodded, she trusted him with his life.

The hood creaked and bent under his weight as he bounded on top. He pulled his wife onto his lap. Luckily her coat was long enough to cover them both. They each warped their arms tightly around the others neck and formed a strong bond that kept them from sliding off the hood.

It wasn't the greatest sex they had ever had, it wasn't even the best of that particular day.

"We are too old for this," She whispered as she slid off the hood.

"I agree, lets never do that again," He said as he pulled his pants back on.

Charming survived the hood of the Doctor's car. It was dented and scratched from his and Snow's escapade. They might have gone a little too far. He would end up paying for the damages to the car hood.

Snow shook her head sadly and then a wicked gleam entered her eyes.

"I think he loved that car more than any woman he was ever with. Lucky for us he left it here outside the clinic when he left for his swift at the hospital."

She started walking back towards Main Street at a quick clip.

Charming had to run to catch up, "Snow, should I be concerned that you are having too much fun with this whole revenge scenario? "

She stopped and turned to him, rolling her eyes, "Charming, I'm not filling my heart with darkness and I'm not going to turn into Regina."

He tried not to look concerned, "I know that Snow." He said softly.

"Dear , I thought we were having a good time, I never realized how much I missed you. I guess if I had, I never would have been able to get out of bed each morning." There was the sadness in her voice again. The edge of despair that made his heart ache.

He nodded, understanding what she was saying.

She stopped walking and turned to look him in the eyes, "If you want to stop this, and go home and curl up on the couch and drink hot cocoa that is exactly what we will do. I just want to be with you. I don't care where we go, as long as we are together."

He loved her more than he ever could have dreamed was possible

"In that case, I thank we can stop off at a few more places before we head home. If you are up for the challenge?" He grinned.

"Good, because I am starving and I know there is nothing to eat at my place. Emma and I were supposed to go shopping, but we got distracted!"

She walked towards the diner. Ella had gone home and the diner was closed. Once again, Snow's lock picking skills had come in handy and she had the door open in less than a minute.

They both stood staring at one of the tables.

"Are you sure this is the table where you and Dr. Whale had your date?" Charming asked.

"Positive, he sat right there and stared at Ruby's butt the entire evening." She pointed to a chair facing the counter.

"Why would he want to do that?" Charming asked innocently.

Snow tilted her head and gave him a look of disbelief, "Are you really that oblivious or are you trying to be nice?"

No man in this realm or any other could be that oblivious.

He shrugged, "I was trying to be nice. Besides, she is not my type. I prefer women who remain human during the full moon. Ruby flirted with David all the time. I was just never interested" He said sincerely. He wondered if he should mention those times that Regina had tried to seduce David. Maybe another time.

"Red is my friend and I love her to death, but now that the curse is broken, I need to talk to her about her wardrobe choices."

Snow looked at the table, it was kind of small.

"How are we going to manage this one?" She asked.

Without a word, Charming put his arms around her waist and picked her up, setting her on the table. "I figure it is time I paid you back for the services you rendered in the clinic office." He grinned.

"You are going to service me?" She actually blushed.

"I offer service with a smile." He gave her a wink.

Afterwards, they had pie, making sure to leave money and a tip beside the register.

On their way back to the apartment they stopped by the mayor's office and made love on the couch in her office. They also did it under the stars in her back yard, under her apple tree.

The evil queen was nowhere to be found. She was probably off somewhere stirring a caldron. Maybe she was still watching them. By that time, neither of them really cared. Charming hoped that she had gotten a good look at some point during the day. He wanted there to be no doubt that he loved Snow White with every breath in his body and that he planed to spend the rest of his life with her in his life, arms and bed. It would be the ultimate payback for the times that Regina had tried to use David's perpetual state of disorientation as a weapon to destroy Snow and his love. He vowed once more not to every let her hurt his family again.

They went back to the apartment that Mary Margaret shared with Emma. They were both exhausted, but there was one last thing that Prince Charming had to do before the day ended and they fell into a blissful sleep. He gently removed the ring from Snow's right hand and placed on her ring finger of her left hand. He then kissed her hand.

"For the first time in far too long I intend to fall asleep in the arms of my wife and that is where I will awake in the morning," He pulled her into his embrace and they quickly fell into the deepest and most peaceful sleep either of them could remember.

Next: A family reunion.

I should have the next chapter up quickly.


	5. Chapter 5: Family Ties

Chapter 5: Family Ties

The next morning Snow White and Prince Charming woke up in each other's arms. The sun was shining and birds were singing and there was an angry message from Emma summoning them to the sheriff's office.

Emma was not there when they reached the police station; or it was possible that she was at the station and was making the two of them wait like naughty children who had been called before the principle.

Suddenly, both Charming and Snow were struck with the same thought. During their amorous adventures the night before there had been one place where they hadn't made love.

"The couch in the principal's office!" They shouted at the same moment and then giggled like mischievous school children.

"Don't even think about it!" An angry voice seethed behind them.

Emma strolled in to the room with purpose. She walked around her desk and plopped into her chair. She dropped a file on the desk top in front of the two truants from decent behavior.

Snow jumped up ran around the desk and threw her arms around her daughter and hugged her tightly. Emma was caught off guard.

"How is Henry?" Charming asked with enthusiasm.

"He is doing great. They should let him go home later today. I left Ruby at the hospital playing video games with him.

"Was she wearing red?" Snow asked as she walked back to her side of the desk and sat down beside her husband.

Charming exchanged an anxious look with his wife

"Doesn't she always?" Emma gave them a puzzled look.

Snow and Charming left out a collective sigh of relieve. They knew that Red likely was not going to turn into a wolf in the middle of the day and eat their grandson, but it paid to be sure.

The angry look had returned to Emma's face. She opened the file and began to read, " The two of you are being charged with 28 counts of vandalism, breaking and entering and destruction of private property."

Snow and her husband shared a guilty look.

What the hell were you two thinking when you embarked on your rampage last night?" Emma's voice had raised several decibels and her disappointment was clearly written on her face.

She had them there, they honestly could not think of an answer.

"David, I would expect this kind of behavior from you"

His mouth opened and closed in shock at the accusations being branded about by his daughter of all people.

"Mary Margaret, I would have thought you would have behaved better, after all you aren't the town Trollope!"

This was more than Charming could take and he stood up angrily and slapped both hands on the desk. This caused Snow to involuntarily jump.

"I won't have you talking that way to your mother, young lady."

Now it was Emma's turn to gape. The moment was surreal to her. She hadn't really thought about the ramifications of the curse being broken. These two people sitting across from her thought of themselves as her parents.

Right now she was not a daughter, she was the law and these two people who sat in front of her, ok one of them was currently standing and pacing the room, were not her parents or even her friends. They were two people who, in her eyes had broken too many laws to count.

Snow White could tell by the anger on the faces of her husband and her daughter that unless something was done quickly the situation was going to turn ugly.

"Emma, why don't you tell us what the charges are against us?" She tried to sound calm.

Emma flipped open the file again and started to read.

"Breaking and entering at numerous locations; both private and public around Storybrooke; destruction of property at Mr. Gold's shop, namely a bed and covers."

"It is our bed!" Snow said through gritted teeth.

Emma continued, "Destruction of property belonging to Dr. Whale, namely the hood of his car and a coffee mug and lamp that had been on his office desk at the clinic. It was his favorite mug." She stated firmly with a grimice.

Charming glared, "He was lucky I didn't break that ugly mug he calls a face." This caused Snow to giggle uncontrollably, which made Emma glare at her. Really, her daughter and husband were so much alike.

"This isn't funny!" Emma seethed.

"How can you prove it was us?" Charming asked casually.

"Video surveillance cameras, you were caught in the act more than once last night," Emma winced with disgust.

Snow's face turned beet red and even Charming looked away in embarrassment.

"Who all has seen the tapes? He whispered the question as he put a protective arm around the shoulder of his wife as he stood behind her.

Emma sighed, "Only me and only as much as I had to see in order to confirm the identity of the culprits."

Snow relaxed slightly.

"Except, Ruby saw part of the one from the diner, you two just had to pick a table that was near the cash register," Emma rolled her eyes. "People have to eat off of those tables!"

"How much did you see?" Charming asked as he swallowed hard as he started to walk around the room again.

"Oh god, this is so embarrassing. We are going to have to leave town," Snow sobbed. "We will have to get new identifications."

Charming stopped pacing and instantly went to Snow's side and held her tightly against his chest.

"Relax, we stopped watching when you mentioned, "service with a smile," Emma informed him. "Ruby that it was hilarious!"

Charming relaxed a little, but it was still more than he would ever want anyone to see.

"The point is, you broke the law and you are going to have to pay restitution. " Emma sighed. "Now, I am thinking it will have to be in installments since neither of you has any money."

Snow pulled away from her husband and she looked up at their daughter. "You are wrong, Emma dear, your father and I are extremely rich or so he says." Snow frowned.

On the way to the police station Charming had told his wife his last secret. How he had the fairies send gold, silver and jewels through the wardrobe before it was finished. A king's ransom was waiting in a cave in the woods. All they had to do was find the cave location and stake their claim to the riches. For her part, Snow still had a few questions about the cave.

"There is a cave in the forest," He explained to Emma. "I found it when I was looking for Snow in the woods after you questioned me about Katherine."

"This was during one of you blackouts when Mary Margaret found you wondering around lost?" Emma asked, her face was screwed up in a frown of concentration as if she expected to have trouble following his convoluted explanation.

The puzzled look that crossed the face of his wife was a mirror image of the expression worn by their daughter. "You mean, when we were out looking for Katherine after she disappeared?"

"I was not looking for Katherine. I was looking for you, which was why I was so confused. I was looking for you to stop you from killing Regina," He paused and went on. "Only, I was in the wrong forest and I was not in my right mind, so when I remembered begging you not to kill her, I had the victims wrong."

"Of course, that explains everything." Snow exclaimed.

Emma gave her a skeptical look.

"Well, maybe not everything. It does explain a lot though. The forest is where the worlds were bleeding together. That is why you were wondering around the woods looking for me and it also explains why you were able to do that one brave, noble thing when you saved me from falling into the ravine. Just for a moment, you were my Charming." Snow smiled blissfully.

"Have I really only done one noble act this past year?" He gave her a wounded look.

"Well, there was that one time that you let me shower first during our affair while you were supposedly married to Katharine."

Emma looked disgusted, "Can we please refrain from discussing the details of your affair?"

"I don't think you can call it an affair since we were actually married at the time," Charming mentioned in a matter of fact tone.

"That is true," Snow nodded her head in agreement.

"I don't see what that has to do with you being rich?" Emma snapped impatiently.

"I found the treasure cave when I was wandering around the forest. Now I remember that everything inside it belongs to us. I will use some of the treasure to pay for the damages we caused."

"So, now I am supposed to believe that you have bunch of treasure hidden away in Aladdin's Cave?" Emma did not try and hide the sarcasm in her voice.

"Aladdin's Cave is much different," He said in a matter of fact tone.

"This whole town is certifiable. You all have always been strange, but now you are going all Twin Peaks on me!" Emma rolled her eyes and rubbed her temples. A tension head ache was starting to build.

"What is Twin Peaks?" Snow asked.

Emma gave her a disbelieving look.

"TV show from the early 1990's. I watched it when I was a child. Forget I mentioned it." She turned back to her father." As long as you pay for repairs to the private property you damaged, I really could care less if you cash in the family jewels, pull it out of a magic hat or even out of your but…"

Snow White interrupted he daughter in a scolding tone, "Emma!"

This was not the family reunion that she had been looking forward to having between mother, father and daughter. Emma seemed to be carrying around lot of anger towards her father. Snow suspected that she still thought of him a David Nolan. Emma had grown up in a land without magic and where happy ending didn't exist. It was going to take their daughter some time to adjust.

"Can we please save the battle for our real enemies?" Snow gave her daughter and her husband a pleading look.

"Speaking of battles, I guess I have your sword. At least that is what Gold told me when he gave it to me. He had it in his shop." Emma turned to her father.

"How did he end up with all of our possessions?" Snow wanted to know.

I have no clue, he gave me the sword. He also gave me some kind of freaky art object as well. It had a bunch of blue glass unicorns. Suspended on wires, I was strangely drawn to it."

Charming gave sigh of relief. Emma had the baby mobile.

"That is not a piece of art!" Snow cried out in alarm. That is the mobile that hung over your crib in your nursery."

"I had a nursery?" Emma gave them a puzzled look.

"Of course you had a nursery," Charming answered in a matter of fact tone.

"What on earth for? You had every intention of shoving me in a tree trunk and sending me to another realm. Why bother and build me a nursery?"

Snow White opened her mouth to answer and then closed it again. Clearly there were some serious anger issues they were going to have to work through.

"Sending you away was never our first choice," Snow replied with tears in her eyes. "It was the hardest decision we ever had to make. In the end we felt that we had no other choice."

"There is always a choice," Emma replied more coldly than she had first intended.

Emma had spent most of her childhood rehearsing in her mind how she wanted her first meeting with her birth parents to go. Her imagination had osculated between scenarios where she was gushy overwhelmed with joy and other situations where she gave them hell for leaving her.

She thought both situations would feel different from what she was feeling at the moment. She was angry, but joyous at the same time. Mostly she felt frightened and lost and she tended to lash out when she felt those feelings.

Tears were falling from the eyes of both Snow and Emma now. Charming could see that both of the women he loved were in pain, for he did love Emma nearly as much as he loved his Snow. He knew that the more he got to know his daughter the larger his love for her would grow. At the moment, he needed to protect them both. Emma needed answers, but both women were too emotionally raw to be of help to the other.

Snow stood up and tearfully proclaimed as she swallowed hard and tried to catch her breath, "I need some air." She rushed from the room and when her husband stood up to follow her she dismissed him. "Stay here,I just need a moment alone." She tried to muster a weak smile, but he could tell from the lack of color in her face that she was utterly heart broken.

He was still holding onto the hand of his wife and he kissed her gently on the forehead before he let her go. His tender gesture did not go unnoticed by there daughter. Emma was trying hard to reconcile what she knew of David Nolan versus what she knew from story books of the epic love of Snow White and Prince Charming. It wasn't easy to for her to accept that they could be the same man.

Charming watched his wife leave through eyes filled with concern. Then he turned back to Emma.

Father and daughter engaged in brief staring match and then Charming spoke.

"I know you are angry and confused. If you want to yell or hit someone or anything else, if you need someone to hurt, let it be me."

Charming gave his daughter a serious look and then let out a breath and then he continued in a softer voice.

Because of who she is, Snow feels everything so intensely. I think it is because she is so good and so pure of heart, she is easily wounded by those she loves and she loves you profoundly. So please don't hurt her." He had a pleading look in his eyes.

"That is rich, coming from you," Emma exhaled in disgust.

"What is that supposed to mean?" He asked with genuine curiosity in his voice

"I have seen the effects of your love on her over the past year. Every time you broke her heart I was the one who had to comfort her and put the pieces back together. Every night that she cried herself to sleep over you I was the one who held her hand. You hurt her so many times and so deeply. Because I do love her, it is hard for me to stand idly by and let you hurt her again"

Charming knew that David had hurt Mary Margaret repeatedly and he also knew that Snow had forgiven him. But hearing the details from someone who had witnessed the pain he had caused firsthand brought back so much of his guilt.

"Everything that I did over the past year was because of the curse. I am not really that person. I would never intentionally do anything to hurt any member of my family"

It was important to him that Emma believed what he was saying.

"The curse makes a convenient excuse, but I only have your word and it means little to me," Emma shook her head in the negative. "

You want me to believe that you love her and are suddenly a different man than the one who broke her heart this past year. I am going to need to see a whole lot of proof"

"What about all the times I saved Snow? True loves kiss is what woke her up after she ate the poison apple. She married me and was willing to have a child with me. All of that has to count for something." He was desperate now.

"No offence, but I only have your word that all of that happened. It is a little hard to believe that one man could do all of that, even Prince Charming." Emma's tone was slightly mocking and she had her hands folded in front of her in defiance.

"It all happened, you can ask Snow." His voice was soft, but the look in his eyes was emotional. He sat back down in a chair opposite from his daughter.

"I will ask her, but there is still the possibility that you drugged her or hypnotized her into believing that you are some kind of hero," The expression in her eyes was one of iron clad determination. She was daring him to try and convince her that he would not hurt the woman they both loved.

"I never said I was a hero. I am just an ordinary guy who was thrust into extraordinary circumstances.

He met her look with one of equal determination, "I was fortunate to fall in love with a wonderful woman and I realized that I would go to the ends of the earth and back for the woman I loved. Since you were able to break the curse, I thought that meant that you were a believer in our story. I guess you need more convincing."

"It is a lot to get used to in a short amount of time." Emma shrugged.

"We have both loved you since the moment you were born. Snow has spent more time with you over the past year so she feels bond with you that I can only hope to one day have," He tried to infuse his voice with as much sincerity as possible.

"If you loved me so much, why did you just send me away?" Her voice trembled slightly, betraying the underlying emotion she was feeling. What really hurt was the fact that she gave him and utterly devastating look.

He could have reminded her that she did the same thing with Henry, but he couldn't hurt her that way. She was his daughter. So, he settled for the simple truth.

"We wanted to keep you safe. For the record, I wanted to keep you with us. Luckily the wisdom of your mother prevailed and she insisted that I take you to the wardrobe."

"You wanted to keep me?" Emma was genuinely shocked at this announcement.

"It would have been the wrong choice. Your mother was right we had to send you away in order to give you the best chance possible. You would have been and infant. You saw over the past year what Regina reduced me too, David Nolan could not have protected you from her. She would have killed you or taken you away from us. The life you had here was better than any life we could have given you under the curse."

"How can you say that? I was bounced around from foster home to foster home until I was old to be on my own and then I got pregnant at 17." She stated angrily.

"I know that and it breaks the hearts of your mother and me every time we think about the loneliness that you must have felt. Knowing that you had to go through all of that hurts almost as much as the memory of the moment we had to give you up. I know that we can't give you back your childhood, but we both want desperately to be a part of your life now."

"I don't know what will happen in the future. Right now, the scars of my childhood are still too fresh."

Charming started to unbutton his shirt. This caused Emma to freak out. She was convinced that he was trying to seduce her.

"What the hell do you think you are doing now, Nolan?"

He didn't stop until he was able to peel enough of the shirt off for Emma to see the scars.

"Are those from the accident? Why are you showing them to me now?" Emma found herself strangely moved by the sight of his scars, as if there was a strong memory attached to them that she could not fully grasp.

Very patiently, he redressed. "There was no accident. These are scars from the sword wounds I acquired while I fought off the Regina's guards in order to save your life by sending you through the magic wardrobe."

Emma gapped at him and then asked in low tone, "Do you actually believe that really happened?"

"Emma, it was as real as the conversation we are having right at this moment. I need you to realize that you are not the only one who has scars from the actions you mother and I undertook 28 years ago."

Emma titled her head and gave him a serious look, biting her bottom lip in the process. It was a look Snow gave him when she finally gave in and came around to his way of thinking on a subject. Emma looked so much like her mother in that moment that tears formed in his eyes.

Emma sighed. "Please don't cry," She rolled her eyes. "If you really believed that sending me away was the only way to save me and to end the curse, what made you think it would work?"

"Your mother had faith that no matter where we sent you that we would all be reunited in the end. It took me a while to believe that too, but in the end I knew you would find us."

"How could you be sure?" She tilted her head again and gave him a puzzled look.

"You are my daughter, it is what we do best," He gave her a gentle smile. "We find each other."

Emma let out a breath of air, "I think you better show us your cave of treasures," She reluctantly replied.

Snow had composed herself and come back into the room. She was ecstatic to see that they hadn't killed each other while she had been outside.

Her husband was instantly at her side.

"Are you alright?" He asked with great concern in his voice.

Emma also looked concerned.

"Thank you," Emma finally said to her mother.

"For what?" Snow tilted her head and gave her daughter a puzzled look.

It made Prince Charming want to laugh out loud with joy. He wondered how, over the past year, he had missed the similarities between the two women. It was obvious that they were related.

"Thank you for coming to the hospital last night." Emma answered simply.

"How did you know that we had been there?" Charming asked.

Emma laughed, "You are not going to believe this, but I saw it on the surveillance cameras."

"Those invasive cameras will be the end of us all." Snow groaned. "Is there no privacy in this town?"

"I think the mayor had something to do with the installation of all the cameras. They can be useful though. I checked this morning to make sure that Regina had not tried to sneak into Henry's room last night and I saw that the two of you had been there."

"I really needed to see that you and Henry were okay," Snow White told her daughter. "I love you, you know that right?" There was emotion in her voice, but no tears in her eyes.

"I love you too," Emma admitted with emotion equaling that of her mother. She turned to her father. "I will try and get used to you. For now, we had better go before I change my mind and decide to throw your butt in a jail cell for no other reason than because I can." She gave him a tough look. But Snow as sure that she saw a flash of teasing behind the hardness in Emma's eyes.

Charming gave his wife an innocent look and took her hand in his.

The three of them left the station together. Maybe they were not yet a family, but they had made a good start.

Next: All that glitters is gold, silver and jewels.


	6. Chapter 6: Cave of Treasures

Chapter 6: Cave of Treasures

Emma stood on the outside of a small cave. It had taken a while to get so deep in the forest. It hadn't helped matters that Mary Margaret had insisted that they stop by the diner and pick up take out. Then they had to stop at the toll bridge and leave the food, along with a blanket on a rock by the river. David had murmured something about a new father raccoon.

"There is nothing in there," She gritted her teeth as she peered into an empty cave.

"Look again, but you have to really look this time." The man she knew as David Nolan, but who thought of himself as her father, instructed.

She looked again and this time she could see the edges of the cave, but it was as if a fog had lifted. Shimmering shapes started to form and she could barely believe her eyes. The cave was filled with gold, silver, gems and cases of paper that looked like stocks and bonds.

Snow White was holding onto her husband's arm when she saw the change sweep over her daughter.

"How did you manage this?" Snow asked in amazement. She gave her husband an adoring smile that made him want to grab her and kiss her until she squealed.

Charming was thoroughly enjoying surprising both his wife and daughter went on to explain. He turned to Emma.

"The original idea was to send Snow through the wardrobe before she gave birth. She would have raised you for 28 years alone." He swallowed hard at the thought of being without his daughter and wife for all those years.

"There was little I could do to protect the two of you in this land, I was determined to make sure you were taken care off anyway. Even though the wardrobe was finished minutes before your birth, I had the fairies start sending through the treasure beforehand."

Emma was looking at the stocks and bonds. "That doesn't explain these though. These are shares in Facebook, Twitter and Apple," Her eyes grew big.

Charming shrugged, "I guess the Mother Superior has been liquidating some of the treasure and buying stocks."

Snow moved to look at the pieces of paper. "Twitter sounds like something birds do, so we will keep those. Facebook sounds like a something Regina would be behind and I hate Apples, so we will have to get rid of those." She had started to make two piles.

"Are they worth anything?" Charming asked Emma.

She was too stunned to answer for a moment and then it was as if she had been brought back to reality. At least some warped version of reality. "They are worth a lot and they seem to be in my name," Her voice had risen to a shocked tempo.

"I guess since you were the one here, she figured it would be safest to put them in your name. You are pretty wealthy," Charming informed her.

Those stocks were worth more money than Emma had seen in her entire life.

"Even if those are real, which will be easy enough to find out, I can't possible keep them," She reluctantly admitted.

"Of course you can keep them, them of them as your inheritance," Snow White informed her daughter.

"Cool, if I had known about this, I never would have stolen that credit card."

They heard a young voice behind them and turned to see Henry standing at the mouth of the cave.

"Henry, what are you doing out of the hospital. You were nearly poisoned dead yesterday," Emma scolded.

Henry gave his mother an innocent look, "You said you would come back to the hospital after you dealt with that police matter. I got tired of waiting and besides I wasn't really poisoned. It was a magic poisoning. That is different." Henry looked to Snow White for confirmation.

She shrugged, "I was planning a battle a couple of hours after I was awoken from my poisoned apple induced sleep."

"Henry, you should not be wandering around the woods alone, it isn't safe," Charming replied with a protective note in his voice. He could not forget the way Regina had followed and spied on him and Snow the day before.

"He isn't alone," Came the voice of Red. "Did you really think that I would let him go off on his own?"

She was dressed in red, but her skirt was longer and she wore less make-up than Emma had ever seen her wear. To Snow, she looked like her old self. Confidant and brave and the best partner in crime the Princess would ever find. She was so happy to have her friend back. She ran to her and they hugged tightly.

When the two old friends broke the embrace, Charming gave her a brotherly hug as well.

"It is almost lunch time, I need to get back to the diner and help Granny with the noon crowd," Red informed her friends. "I just wanted to make sure that Henry was safe."

A look of guilt crossed the face of Snow," We are so sorry about last night." Sincere embarrassment was in her voice.

Red took both of her friend's hands in her own and gave her an understanding smile.

"You have nothing to apologize for. After everything that the two of you have been through, you deserve your happiness." There was a bit of sadness in her eyes.

"You deserve to be happy as well," Snow informed her friend. "And you will be someday." She let out a confident breath.

"Right now, I have to get back to the diner before Granny has a meltdown."

"If either of you need anything, do not hesitate to ask," Charming informed her.

Snow watched her go with a hint of sadness in her eyes," Life is not fair!" She said sorrowfully.

Charming hugged her tightly, "Red will be fine. In fact she is probably happier today than she was last week. At least she knows who she is and she knows that there are people around her who truly care for her."

Henry was walking around looking at the treasure with a gleam in his eyes. Looked like King Louie from the "Jungle Book."

He had on a crown and had jewels draped around him. He was having fun, which was all that Emma was concerned about.

Charming picked up the crown and examined it.

"This is the crown that King Midas gave me when I was engaged to marry Abigail. Snow, would you mind if I give this to Fredrick and Abigail?" There was caution in his voice. He didn't want to upset her in any way.

"Not at all," She replied casually. "Shall I start making a distribution list?" She pulled a piece of paper out of her purse.

"That can wait for the time being," Charming had started to pace and Snow recognized that he was now in full "Ruler of the Kingdom" mode.

"We should check on Sean and Ashley and make sure they have everything they need," He continued.

Emma just gawked at them wondered if this pair was for real? She had to admit they seemed like different people than they had been a week ago. Emma could not remember ever seeing her roommate so self-assured and David no longer seemed to be walking around in a confused daze. He also seemed to respect the dark haired woman standing before them. He was treating her as his equal partner.

"We should also make sure and set something aside for the battle," Snow remarked. "Battles are always expensive" She was making notes on the paper.

He nodded his head in agreement and smiled at his wife, "I love it when you read my mind." He bent over and kissed her quickly. Snow smiled at him.

Emma sighed, "How did I know there was going to be a mention of a battle? You two are obsessed with battles."

"Emma dear, we have enemies and they are not sitting still," Snow scolded lightly. "Did you talk to Mr. Gold this morning about the break in?"

"No, his assistant called to report the disturbance," Emma admitted.

"Since when does he have an assistant?" Charming wondered.

"Have you seen Regina today?" Snow asked.

"No, but she has to show up for a custody hearing with Judge Spencer next week."

"Albert Spencer? I thought he was the DA?" Snow asked with agitation.

"Regina appointed him to the bench so he could preside over the custody hearing."

"How can she do that?" Snow asked through gritted teeth

"She's the mayor, she runs this town she can do what she wants to do," Emma shrugged.

But he hates us," Snow insisted in a defeated tone.

"Who is Albert Spencer?" Charming asked a little bit irritated. He was starting to feel as if he had missed something very important.

At the same time both Emma and Snow answered.

"District Attorney Spencer is the one who reviewed the murder case against Mary Margaret." Emma answered.

"He is really King George!" Snow asserted loudly.

"That's impossible!" Charming countered with shock in his voice. "I saw the dragon attack King George, there was no way to save him and there was no way he could have escaped. If there had been any way to save him, I would have done so." He shook his head sadly.

"I know you tired your best to save him, but maybe your efforts were not in vain. Your father is alive and kicking in Storybrooke." Snow reluctantly informed her husband.

"He is your father?" Emma asked trying to keep up with all the twists that were being thrown her way.

"It is complicated," Charming sighed.

"Not really, King George raised Charming's twin brother as his son, Prince James. Only the prince was killed by a Behmoth…"

"Excuse me, he was killed by what?" Emma asked dumbfound

"You really should read the book," Henry scolded.

"The King needed someone to fill in and marry King Mida's daughter. Luckily, your father was available to take his brothers place at the altar," Snow told Emma in a matter of fact way.

Her husband was speechless for a few moments. Finally he was able to ask, "How do you know all that, I never told you about my past," A look of shame crossed his face.

"Your mother told me when I visited her right before I took the potion to forget all about you," Snow shrugged her shoulders.

"You saw my mother?"

"Of course I met your mother. Do you think I would marry a man without first meeting his mother? You could have had a stepmother who Regina look like the Blue Fair,." She gave him a skeptical look.

"How did you find her?" Charming asked astonished.

"I had the help of someone who is a really good tracker," Snow admitted

"Was it the huntsman?" He was clearly jealous.

"Who is the huntsman?" Emma asked, the headache was returning.

"You knew him as Sheriff Graham," Charming answered through gritted teeth.

"Oh." Emma answered cautiously.

"No, it wasn't him. It was Red if you must know," Snow rolled her eyes

"Good" He said under his breath.

"Why are you so insecure about him any way?" Snow gave her husband a puzzled look.

"He had a thing for you," Charming said under his breath.

"What, he was in love with you and he hit on me? Gross!" Emma shook her head in disgust.

"He wasn't in love with me. Your father is imagining things," She threw her husband a disappointed look.

"Yeah, right!" Charming insisted.

"Are you two fighting or is this just foreplay?" Emma rolled her eyes

"What's foreplay?" Henry asked as he walked up.

"Something to do with golf." Charming answered with out missing a beat.

"Can we get back to the topic of his mother?" Emma asked. Let me get this straight, you tracked down his mother found out he was a great guy and then took a potion to forget him?" Emma gave her mother a skeptical look.

"She took the potion because her heart was broken because we could not be together," Charming pointed out.

"Not exactly," Snow told her shocked husband and daughter. Even Henry stopped what he was doing to listen. This was a part of the story he had not heard

"Do you really think believed for one moment that I had really lost you for good?"

There was distant look in Snow's eyes that made her husband uncomfortable.

"Actually, that is exactly why I thought you took the potion because you could not stand to live without me." Tears welled up in his eyes.

Emma rolled her eyes. If he started to cry she would probably smack him.

Snow took a deep breath, "I knew you were not going to marry Abigail, you had already made that clear. King George had threatened to kill you and I am sure he had threatened to kill your mother."

Charming nodded in agreement, "That is exactly what he had threatened and he was going to burn the farm to the ground." He winched at the memory.

"I had to convince the King that I had never loved you and I was giving you up so you could marry Midas's daughter." Snow bit her bottom lip.

"You certainly convinced me," Charming's voice was almost a whisper.

"I always knew you would find me."

"Always," Her husband vowed. "As long as I draw breath."

"I had to keep you safe until you could get away. The two of us would have never made it out of there together alive that night. One man had already died trying to leave. I was not willing to risk your life. King George knew you wanted to leave with me, he was on alert."

Snow gave her husband a loving look and continued, "On my way out, I overheard some of the solders talking about the death of the Real Prince James and how you had been brought in to replace him. They seemed pretty impressed by your dragon slaying skills, considering the fact that you were raised as a shepherd."

"You knew the whole time?" He whispered.

"After I knew that you had a mother, she was not very hard to find. I went to the nearest village and found out that you had lived there with her for years."

Snow bit her bottom lip and waited for some reaction from her husband. It was their daughter who reacted.

"So, his mother told you his life story and it was so horrible, that you took the potion to forget?" Emma asked sarcastically.

"No, she told me his name and I took the potion to forget that piece of information."

Snow White stated simply.

Charming gave her a wounded look, "There is nothing wrong with my name. In fact, I am going to tell Emma and Henry what it is right now."

"No! You cannot say your name out loud we will lose our power over the Dark One!" Snow cried out in alarm.

"You and your mother know and that is two people too many." She pleaded.

Charming gave her a look of disbelief, "You know as well, you told me that my mother told you."

"I do not remember your name and it has to stay that way in order to protect you. He knows my name, thanks to the Queen and her smear campaign and he knows Emma's name. That was inevitable the moment Granny started to knit her the baby blanket. He has never known you true name and as long as it stays that way, he can never have complete power over us."

Emma stared at her in disbelief and then turned to Henry.

"Is that true, is his real name not mentioned in the book?"

Henry rolled his eyes.

"I know, I really should read the book. I promise I will read it starting tomorrow, just answer my question!" She gave him an exasperated look.

"His real name is not in the book. I am going to call him grandpa though." He smiled.

Charming just shrugged.

Emma narrowed her eyes at her mother. "How did you know that you wouldn't remember his name when he broke the spell however he did that"?

"True love's kiss."

Her father reminded her.

"His name was the one thing that I truly wanted to forget. Unfortunately, I had no idea that the side affects of the potion would be a complete personality change."

Snow sighed.

"All magic has a price."

Charming stated naturally as if he were repeating the family motto.

"I nearly paid with my soul." A distant look appeared in Snow's eyes.

She was visiting that dark place in her mind where Charming was always afraid that she partially believed that she deserved all the bad things that had happened in her life.

"Snow, look at me," He gave her an intense, loving look and held both her hands in his own, I would have never let that happen."

Emma shook her head in bewilderment, "Are you two for real? "Now I see why I outgrew fairytales."

Snow turned to her daughter and gave her a scolding look.

"What a horrible thing to say!" Snow winched as if she were in pain.

Emma watched them in amazement. They appeared to love each other with such intensity that she found herself slightly feeling jealous. That same intensity permeated every aspect of their lives. Snow White was her mother and Prince Charming was her father. It was the trust that they shared that most amazed her. They trusted each other completely. The concept of blind trust was foreign to Emma.

Emma turned to her mother, "How could you stand beside him in battle, marry him and have a child with him and you don't even know his name?"

"Because, in the long run, none of that is important and I explained why we have to keep his name a secret. Whether you like it or not, there will be a battle. We have to trust each other and we have to stand together because that is the only way that we will survive. There is magic here now and our enemies will use it." Snow looked towards her husband for his support.

"As usual, your mother is right."

Charming gave his wife and encouraging smile.

"Then you have already lost. I know enough about fairytales to know that Snow White and Prince Charming do not have magic powers."

Charming laughed, "Then you are operating from the same misconception as our enemies. We have the most powerful magic in this land our any other. We have love and that can beat back any spells cast our thrown our way."

"Which reminds me," Snow said. "I think we have an appointment at the principles office."

"Please don't," Emma pleaded. "You can have full run of the apartment for the rest of the day. All I ask is that you don't do anything on any surface that I have to eat off." She sighed wearily.

Henry walked up at that moment and asked, "School is out for summer. Why do you need to go see the principle?"

Emma turned to her parents, "I take it there are a few things that were left out of the book?"

Charming laughed and Snow blushed.

"There is a lot that was left out of that book."

He gave his wife a licentious look.

Emma turned to Henry "Come on kid, let's go see a movie and have dinner at the diner." She took the gold and jewels and put them back in the cave. "Somehow, I suspect that these will be safe here.

Snow and Charming left Emma and Henry off at the movie theater and went back to the apartment. He was sitting on the couch trying to figure out what they should watch on TV and she was making popcorn.

She placed the bowl of popcorn on the couch between them, sat down and leaned her head on her husbands shoulder. He wrapped an arm around her and pulled her tightly against his chest.

"It is nice to be here with you, to not have to sneak around and pretend that I am not desperately, hopelessly head over heels in love with you." He kissed her quickly on the lips.

"We never did this as David and Mary Margaret," Snow lamented.

"No, we were always in such a hurry to get to the good stuff before we were caught." Charming gave her a salacious look.

"Look, "Twin Peaks" is on, we can see what Emma was talking about." Snow was looking at the schedule and pretending to ignore the singles her husband was sending. She was able to keep up the act for about 30 seconds.

The opening credits started, they both reached into the bowl of popcorn, their hands touched, sparks actually flew, they locked eyes, and then lips as passion erupted.

Several minutes later they broke the kiss, gasping for breath.

"Does Emma eat on the couch?" Charming asked between kisses.

"Sometimes," Snow answered as she started to unbutton his shirt and slide it off of his shoulders. "But she never eats on the floor," She said breathlessly.

Charming laughed as they slid to the floor. Popcorn was everywhere, but they took no notice. They were completely captivated with each other.

Next: The first battle.


	7. Chapter 7 Kangaroo Court

Chapter 7 Kangaroo Court

Snow and Charming were sitting on a bench outside of the courtroom waiting for the custody proceedings to begin. They were holding hands, as they seemed to do a lot lately. They still had a hard time believing that they were really free of the curse and able to be together.

"Hello, James." They heard a stern voice say. Charming flinched and Snow held onto his hand even tighter.

They both looked up to see King George standing over them.

"Do not call me that," Charming said through gritted teeth. "James was my brother, who I never knew existed before you sacrificed him in your quest for power and riches."

"Strong words from a man who allowed me to be devoured by a dragon."

"I tried to save you." He said sadly.

"Clearly, you survived unharmed," Snow pointed out. "I guess you were too bitter for the dragon."

"Ah, Snow White, the woman who took an amnesia potion rather than fight for the man she claimed to love." He laughed bitterly.

"You threated to kill him if I did not bend to your will!" She pointed out.

"You continue to kill him every day by poisoning his heart." George fumed.

"You know nothing about us," Snow rose to her feet and stood directly in front of the one-time ruler.

"You are a king without a kingdom George and that makes you pathetic. You have no power over us." She smiled and exchanged a loving look with her husband.

"You forget, I am the one who will decide Henry's future." He smirked

"Technically, that isn't true," Came a small voice behind them.

They all three turned to see Archie Hopper standing in the hallway.

"Ever since the Hansel and Gretel incident occurred Storybrooke has had a Child Welfare Council in place to decide custody issues of minor children."

Clearly, this was the first the King had heard of such a board.

"You will make recommendations today, but the board will decide Henry's living arrangements." Archie continued.

Snow and Charming gave him a smile of thanksgiving.

"You two had better get into the court room if you want to get good seats, the place packed." Archie suggested.

The two did not even give George a second look as they walked hand in hand into the court room.

Indeed, the courtroom was full. It was to be their first battle since the curse had been broken and all of their friends had shown up in support. However, Red had saved them seats in the front row directly behind the table where Emma would sit with Henry.

Emma and Henry entered a few minutes later and took their places at the table. Snow gave her daughter an encouraging smile. Regina followed a few minutes later. Glared at Emma and took a seat at her table.

Order was called and the judge called the first witness, who turned out to be Dr. Whale. Snow and Charming exchanged a worried look.

"Did you know he was testifying?" She asked her husband in a hushed tone.

"I had no idea. I hope he does not hold a grudge." He answered worried.

They turned their attention back to the front of the court room where the doctor had already been sworn in and was starting to answer questions.

"Dr. Whale, you recently treated the minor child Henry Mills. Can you describe what occurred at the time?" The judge asked.

"Yes your honor. Henry was brought into the emergency room unconscious. Ms. Swan was convinced that he had been poisoned." Dr. Whale answered.

"Ms. Swan is seeking custody of the child because she believes that his legal mother tried to poison him." King George was reading from a form and he chuckled softly.

"I object!" Emma stood up and forcefully declared. "I do not believe that Regina was trying to poison Henry, she was trying to poison me with an apple turnover. He ate the poison pastry instead. " She seethed.

The judge/former king turned to Dr. Whale and asked, "Was it your professional opinion at the time that the boy had indeed ingested a neurotoxin?" There was an evil gleam in his eyes.

"No, your honor. There was no indication that he had been poisoned." The doctor admitted.

"What do you think occurred that day?" Dr. Whale was asked.

"My professional opinion is that the boy was faking his illness." Dr. Whale calmly stated.

That was more than Emma could handle. She stood up again and banged her hands on the table. She did not realize it, but it was a gesture her father employed when he was perturbed.

"How can you say that?" She asked in anger. "He nearly died. He flat lined! How could he have been faking?" Emma was about to lose her temper.

"Sit down Ms. Swan or I will have you removed!" The Judge vowed.

Snow's heart broke for her daughter. She was finding out the hard way what it meant to challenge Regina.

The judge turned back to the witness and asked, "In your professional opinion, doctor, is Henry in any danger from his legal mother?"

"No!" The doctor answered with authority. He smirked at Snow and Charming when he said the words.

Before Emma could object, the judge dismissed the witness. As he walked by Snow and Charming he leered.

"Now do you think that he is trying to get back at us?" Snow whispered.

"I do not know anymore. Maybe he just does not like to lose?" Charming shrugged.

"I wish I could hug Emma and Henry right now." Snow sighed.

"I know the feeling." He stated under his breath. Instead, he gave his wife a hug.

George had called next witness, Archie Hopper.

"Dr. Hopper, can you state the nature of your relationship with Henry Mills?"

"I have been his therapist for 2 years." He proudly admitted.

"Then the boy is deeply disturbed?"

Emma was about to stand up again, but Archie gave her a look that made her sit down again.

"No, he believed that everyone in Storybrooke was a fairytale character who had his or her memory erased. It turns out he was right." He shrugged and the entire court room erupted in laughter.

The judge banged his gavel. "Order!" he demanded. He turned back to the witness.

"In the 2 years that you treated the boy did you at any time feel that he was in danger because of his legal mother?"

"I do believe that Regina loves him in her own way, as much as she is capable of love, I do not think that she would put him in direct danger." He stated hesitantly.

Snow's jaw dropped in shock. She could understand how Dr. Whale might side with Regina in order to stick it to her and Charming, but she thought that Archie cared more about Henry. It sounded like he was supporting Regina. Judging from the gleeful sneer on the face of her stepmother, Regina believed it as well.

"Then it is your professional opinion that Henry should stay with his legal mother Regina Mills?" The judge asked.

Archie hesitated for a least half a minute before he replied. "No, I think he could benefit greatly from time spent with his natural mother."

Regina's face registered genuine anger. Snow and Charming let out a sigh of relief.

"If Ms. Swan wanted a relationship with the boy maybe she should have reconsidered giving him away when he was an infant!" The judge said forcefully.

That was more than Charming could stand. He stood up and addressed the judge directly in a angry voice.

"That is rich coming from a man who could not have any children of his own and had to steal an heir, not once but twice!"

"Sit down Son or I will hold you in contempt of court and have you thrown in jail without any hope of ever seeing the light of day again."

"Once a bully always a bully!" Snow stood in support of her husband.

"Maybe I will throw her in jail!" He gave Snow an angry look. "After all I never closed that attempted murder case concerning Mrs. Nolan."

Now it was Emma who stood up. "Sidney Glass confessed to that, you can't hold that over her head." She turned to her parents, "I know you guys are trying to help, but making him mad is only going to make things harder on Henry." She gave them a pleading look.

The judge turned to her. "You gave up you right to be involved in your son's life when you gave him away over 10 years ago. I am recommending that the minor child Henry Mills remain in the custody of his legal mother Regina Mills. These proceedings are adjourned."

He stood up and left without even dismissing Archie from the stand. The only one happy was Regina.

Everyone filed out of the courtroom just stunned. Henry was still clinging to Emma. Snow gave her daughter a hug. There were no words to convey how heartbroken she was for her daughter and grandson.

Charming turned to Archie and asked, "How soon can the Child Welfare Council meet?"

"As soon as possible! This afternoon in fact. Henry will not be in her clutches for long." Archie promised.

Regina came out of the court room and marched right over to Snow. Even though she was given temporary custody, she was still angry.

"If you think that I am going to let you take away another person I love, you are sadly mistaken. I will make you pay." She practically hissed at her once upon a time stepdaughter.

Snow was caught completely off guard took a step back.

In less than an instant Charming was standing behind Regina.

"Back off, Regina. Otherwise, sleep with one eye open. Because tonight while you sleep I will cut your heart out the way you threatened to cut out Snow's all those years ago." It was a whisper.

Emma clearly heard it because her jaw dropped.

"This is your finally warning." He vowed

"I want this man arrested. He just threatened me." Regina protested.

"I didn't hear anything that sounded like a threat," Emma shrugged.

"Are you going to wait until he murders me in my bed?" Regina asked with anger in her voice.

"Or the middle of the street, which ever works." Emma gave her a serious look.

"The last time I checked it was against the law to threaten the mayor." Regina insisted

"I doubt you could find 12 people in this town who would be willing to convict me." Charming shrugged innocently.

She turned to Archie Hopper.

"You promised me that you would support me in a custody battle."

"No, the Archie Hopper who was imprisoned because of the curse made that promise and he is gone for good. The Child Welfare Council will meet this afternoon and you will be informed of our decision madam mayor.

Regina turned to Henry, "Come on Henry, we are going home!"

"Don't make me go with her!" Henry pleaded desperately.

"It will only be for a little while." Emma promised.

He ran to his grandparents and gave them each a hug and then gave Emma a lingering one as well. Emma watched him leave sadly.

"Would hot chocolate with cinnamon from Granny's help?" Charming put a reassuring hand on his daughter's shoulder.

She nodded her head in the affirmative.

"Good because I am so hungry I could eat one of the Three Little Pigs!" Snow exclaimed.

"Disgusting, would you actually do that?" Emma asked

"No," Charming admitted. "We would never eat any animal that wore clothes. I am going to stop by the city clerk's office and try and find out who owns the cabin by the lake. I will meet you two at the diner."

Snow was torn because she was curious about the ownership of the cabin, but she also wanted to be with their daughter.

This did not go unnoticed by Emma who over the past year had learned to recognize when her roommate was torn. Especially, when it came to matters concerning the man standing in front of them at the moment

"You two go ahead and check on the cabin. I know you are both anxious to buy it and start remodeling. I will meet you both at the diner." She informed her parents casually.

"Are you sure you do not need me to come with you?" Snow asked her daughter with concern in her voice.

"I am just going to wait for you at the diner. Half the town will probably be there and it will take you 20 minutes tops. It is not like you are abandoning me for 28 years." The instant the words slipped from her mouth Emma regretted them.

The color drained from Snow's face and guilt washed over the face of Charming.

"I'll come with you!" Snow told her daughter while trying to seem cheerful.

"I can check on the cabin another day! We will go to Granny's together" Charming agreed.

Emma took a deep breath, "I am not used to censoring what I say to people. Maybe that is something I am going to have to work harder on. I didn't mean anything by what I said and I would really like to spend a few minutes alone to clear my head."

"Are you sure?" Her father asked.

"Positive, in fact why don't you tell me what you want to eat and I will put in the order and the food will be ready when you get to Granny's?"

"You can order me a grilled cheese." Charming stated with certainty. "David never ordered grilled cheese and I just love it. Something else the curse took away from me."

"Let me guess, you want it with tomatoes?" Emma asked.

"How did you know?" He frowned in concentration.

"Because that is how I like my grilled cheese." She shrugged.

Snow gave them a fake pout.

"I am so jealous! You two are so much alike. You are just sword welding, dragon slaying, grilled cheese eating maniacs!"

"Yeah, but she got her badass side from you!" Charming stated with a smile.

Emma gave them a stilted look, "Yeah, whatever. What do you want to eat?" She asked her roommate/mother.

Snow titled her head and thought for a moment. "A double Granny burger with cheese, chili cheese fries and chocolate malt with double syrup."

Emma gave her a wide eyed look that was nearly mimicked by her father.

"I guess we don't just battle dragons, we feed them as well?" Emma asked.

"I told you I was hungry." She informed them innocently. "Battles always make my hungry. Especially when they involve my former stepmother and your not-father ." She turned to her husband.

"Take her away before she decides to order more!" Emma told her father.

Snow just shrugged and took her husband's hand.

Emma was right nearly half the town was at the diner. There was only one table left, the one that her parents had christened a week earlier. Emma took a seat at the counter.

Ruby came over and put a reassuring hand on Emma's hand.

"I am sorry that things went so badly in court today. I am sure that everything will be alright in the end. Would you like to order?"

"Thanks Ruby," Emma was uncomfortable calling the townspeople by any other name than the ones by which she had known them for nearly a year. "Let me have two grilled cheese sandwiches with tomatoes, two hot chocolates with cinnamon, a double granny with cheese, an order of chili cheese fries and chocolate malt with double syrup."

Ruby looked down at the order in shock, "Emma, I know you had a tough day, but drowning your sorrows in food is not the answer!"

"The grilled cheese sandwiches are for me and David, the rest is for Mary Margaret. Is this some kind of post curse thing? Because I lived with her for nearly a year and she ate like a bird. Now, she has been eating like a dragon.

Ruby thought for a moment.

"I lived with her too for a while, she was a light eater. Except for…" Her voice trailed off as realization set in. "Oh, except for the last 9 months before the curse came. Then she pretty much became a dragon. It might have been the one time in your mother and father's lives together that I was actually afraid he might leave her. "

The truth dawned on Emma. 9 months before her birth!

"Tell me you are joking?" Emma pleaded.

Ruby just shrugged innocently.

"I am nearly 29 years old. My mother cannot be pregnant! It is not normal." Emma exclaimed.

Snow and Charming had been wandering around in the court house looking for the records room for what seemed to be hours, it was actually less than 30 minutes.

"Who would have thought that this court house was so big?" Snow sat down on a nearby bench. "I am dead tired."

"Reminds me a little of the enchanted woods where I was stuck when I was trying to find you." He kissed the top of her forehead.

"All we need now is for Rumpelstiltskin to appear from around the corner and give us an enchanted deed." She sighed.

He pulled her to her feet. "It must be around the next corner."

They rounded the next corner and found the records department. The clerk assured them that the records could be printed off from the computer system and they were soon staring in shock.

"The cabin belongs to David Nolan." Charming whispered.

"Regina gave you a cabin?" Snow was stunned. "I guess we no longer have to worry about the purchasing it from the owner."

"I don't think Regina did this, it seems more like something the Blue Fairy would have done." He still seemed puzzled.

"It does not make up for the fact that they lied to us about the wardrobe." Snow answered with anger in her voice.

"Agreed, both you and Emma should have gone through the wardrobe." He stated simply.

A perturbed look crossed her face. "Maybe I would have sent you through with Emma, Charming!" She snapped.

"She needed her mother." He said softly.

"Only you would have been in a coma for 28 years, not missing me and more importantly not aging. I would have been 28 years older than you. I would have been middle age!" She sobbed. "No wonder you wanted to send me with Emma. You wanted to stay young and dump me the moment the curse was broken."

She had sat down on the bench again and tears streamed down her face. He sat beside her and tried to put his arms around her but she pulled away.

"No, I never want to leave you. I would never leave you. My love for you is ageless; I would not care if you were 28 years older than I."

She stood up and looked at him with eyes as cold as steel. "What about when I was pregnant with Emma? You wanted to leave me then, don't deny it!" She snapped coldly

Her words hit him like a shock wave. Pain was etched on his face and he sat down on the bench because he no longer had the strength to stand. He thought that they had put that terrible time behind them and moved on. He had always believed that it was something they could laugh about. How young and naive they had been. How running a kingdom, being newly married and finding out they were going to be parents for the first time had hit them like a ton of bricks all at once. Add a looming curse and even the most epic lovers might find themselves blindsided and lose their way for the briefest moment.

Aside from the past year when they had been living under the curse, he had only lost faith in her one other time and he always felt as if he had paid dearly for that breach of conviction.

He always believed the important thing was that they quickly found their way back to each other. That his faith in her had been restored. That their love had overcome all adversity, as it always did.

Evidently, his wife did not share his view. She clearly felt that after all this time the incident was still open for discussion.


	8. Chapter 8 Tender Loving Care

Thank you to all of my loyal readers.

Disclaimer: These characters do not belong to me. They are the property of ABC and Disney.

Chapter 8: Tender Loving Care

Charming gave his wife a serious look.

"I thought we were past that?" Pain clearly showed on his face. He took her hands in his and she did not pull away. "What kind of a man would possibly even consider leaving his pregnant wife?"

"That is exactly my point. Before we knew I was pregnant, we were having problems, then we found out that I was having a baby and suddenly everything was fine." She gave him a sad look.

He stared at her in complete shock.

"You think I stayed with you because you were pregnant?" The look on her face was breaking his heart.

"After we were married you were fixated on the curse and I had a kingdom to run and at times it was not easy. I was frustrated because I could see that Regina was driving you to distraction and it nearly killed me to see that she could still hurt you so much. Then you disappeared for a week and I nearly lost my mind because I was sure Regina had kidnapped you and our unborn child!"

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. He had not thought about those desperate days in such a long time.

"Charming, I was gone for 3 days!" She exclaimed.

"It seemed like you were gone for a week." He whispered with yearning in his voice. "You never even told me where you went."

"You never asked." She stated simply.

"I was so happy to have you back that I really did not care at the time where you had been." He shrugged sadly.

"I went to the dwarf's old cottage. It was empty of course since they were living in the palace with us. The first day I was there I missed you so much that all I did was cry. The second day I couldn't eat because I missed you so much. That night I couldn't sleep, I missed you so much. Then I came home."

"Snow, why didn't you tell me?" His eyes were brimming with tears.

"I know you were unhappy with me, but I could not help it." Again she started to cry.

"I was unhappy only because you were unhappy. But I never could have left you; even before we found out we were having Emma. You are my life, Snow. I miss you when you leave the room for 5 minutes. I simply could never live without you." He gave her a loving look.

"I was not unhappy all of the time." She admitted.

"Are you sure you were only gone for 3 days."

"Positive, I missed you too much."

"I guess it is a good thing that I only imprisoned Regina for 1 day."

"You imprisoned Regina?"

"Only for 12 hours. I put her in a cell right next to the Dark One. I figured if anyone could get her to confess it would be him and it would take him less than a day. By the end of the first day, she was begging to be let out and still denying that she knew anything about your whereabouts. I let her go!"

Snow smiled through her tears.

He reached up and dried the tears with his thumb.

"Why are you thinking about this now?" He asked with tender concern in his voice.

"I do not know. I have felt like I was on such an emotional roller coaster this past week. Ever since the curse was broken I have been wondering what would have happened if Emma and I had come through together and had to wait 28 years to break the curse."

"I guess you would have found me for a change. Then I would have remembered you and I would have been deliriously happy to be with you again. That is how I have felt every minute of every day since the curse was broken." He leaned in and gave her and long, intense kiss in an attempt to prove his point.

"Never doubt that I love you more than life itself. I chose you and I will always choose you" He whispered to her. "Now can we go see our daughter, who is second in my esteem only to you, my love?"

"Of course." She answered and followed him out of the courthouse.

Emma was hanging up her phone when she saw her mother walk in. Ruby was setting their food on the counter.

Her father followed about 5 minutes later. He was putting his cell phone in his pocket. His wife gave him, a puzzled look, but he didn't volunteer information about who he had been talking to on the phone.

"Perfect timing!" Emma exclaimed and indicated the food on the counter.

Snow gave her daughter a weak smile and sat down on one of the stools. Charming looked over at the table.

"Is something wrong with the table?" He indicated with his head. There was a smirk on his face.

"Don't be a smartass! I can still dump your butt in jail anytime I feel like it." She glared at him. She looked over at her mother who had started to eat. A look of worry crossed her face.

"What did you do to her?" She glared at her father.

"Nothing!" His eyes were wide with innocence.

"I would believe you except for the fact that I recognize that look on her face. It is her look that says, "David has just sent me through the emotional ringer." She gave him a dirty look and went back to the counter.

"What happened?" She asked her mother.

Snow shook her head, "Nothing really. We found out that David owns the cabin. We can start renovating as soon as possible."

"Did he do something to you? Because I can hurt him!" Emma promised. She turned to her father. "I had them put pickles on your sandwich."

"You would not be that cruel." He responded casually.

"Emma, be a dear and stop threatening your father." She said softly.

"It took her longer than normal to come to your defense. You had to have done something!" Emma accused.

I didn't," He insisted and then he looked to his wife for confirmation. "Did I do something?"

"No! I'm tired that is all. Emma, are you going to finish your sandwich?" She asked nonchalantly.

Snow had finished everything that she had ordered and she was still hungry? Emma looked at her mother in amazement.

"I was planning on it!" Emma grabbed her sandwich and looked at her mother with concern growing in her eyes.

Charming sat down on a stool next to his wife and gingerly took a bite of half of his sandwich. When he was sure it was and pickle free. He placed the uneaten half on his wife's plate. She gave him an affectionate look and his heart melted.

"I am very much in love with you, I hope you know that, Snow?" He gave her a comforting smile.

She leaned her head on his shoulder as she ate half of his grilled cheese sandwich.

"I do." She assured him affectionately.

"The Child Welfare Council is meeting as we speak," Emma informed her parents.

"Who is on the Council?" Charming asked.

Emma ticked off the names, "of Mother Superior from the school and convent, Archie Hopper, his friend Marco and Jefferson."

Charming repeated the names as he knew then from the Enchanted Forest, "The Blue Fairly, and Jiminy, Geppetto." They all owed him or Snow in one way or the other, so that was positive. "Who is Jefferson?"

"He is the guy who kidnaped me and tied me up and held me captive in order to persuade Emma to make him a magic hat." Snow reminded her husband, "He is quite mad."

"He thinks she is the Mad Hatter." Emma remarked dryly.

"Is he on our side though?" Charming asked with concern showing on his face.

"He hates Regina because she separated him from his daughter, so I doubt he would side with her in a custody battle." Emma shrugged.

Emma noticed that Ruby was talking to a wormy looking young man who was pointing in their direction. He was now making his way over to the trio.

"I wonder what is going on?" Emma asked.

"I think we are about to find out." Charming replied.

The man looked at 3 envelopes in his hand.

"Emma Swan? David Nolan? Mary Margaret Blanchard?"

"We sometimes go by those names," Snow admitted.

He handed them each an envelope addressed to them with the City of Storybrooke seal on the front.

"This can't be good!" Emma lamented.

They each tore into their respective envelope.

"A restraining order from Regina?" Charming asked.

"Demanding that we stay away from her and Henry when he is in her presence!" Emma read hers out loud.

"Signed by Judge Spencer of course! I wish the dragon had digested him!" Snow snapped.

"So he is holding a grudge because you let a dragon nearly eat him?" Emma stared at them in disbelief.

"In our world there were 3 types of people," Charming stated, "Those who were with us, those who were against us and those we never met." He said this in a manner that indicated that he expected no other explanation was necessary.

"It must have been nice to live in a world where everything was so black and white." Emma stated sarcastically.

Her cell phone rang and she looked down at the caller ID.

"It's Dr. Hopper. It must be about Henry." She answered the phone, but had to step outside to get a better signal.

Charming and Snow waited breathlessly for her to return with news. Snow reached for her husband's hand and held on to it tightly.

Emma came back a few minutes later, but her face was completely unreadable. He parents waited in anticipation.

"Well, what did they decide?" Her mother asked eagerly.

A smile spread across Emma's face, "The board decided to give me primary custody. Regina can have supervised visits to be determined at a later date. I have to meet the council members at Regina's house in 20 minutes!" She looked down at the restraining order. "I wonder if all of it invalidates this?"

"We can figure that out later!" Her mother said as she gave her a hug. "Go get Henry!" She shooed her out the door. Then turned to her husband. "Do you want to split a banana split?" She asked him eagerly.

He was still hungry, he had given her half of his sandwich after all. He was not sure how she could eat anything else.

"Let's order to go. I want to be home when Henry and Emma get back." He informed her.

The first thing Snow did when they got back home was to kick off her shoes. She looked down at them and wondered how her shoes had gotten to be half a size too small. "My feet are killing me and I really need to take a shower. Then I just want to fall into bed." She headed upstairs.

"What should I do with the ice cream?" Charming asked concerned that banana split was going to start to drip.

"Put it in freezer. I am not really hungry for it anymore," She frowned. "You can join me in the shower though." She sly suggested.

"Sorry, Emma and Henry will be home soon and I would rather not start something we can't finish." He shrugged and went to the kitchen to put the ice cream in the freezer.

She looked after him in disbelieve.

"Since when?" She asked out loud in a miffed voice.

She went into the bathroom. Her bathroom had both a shower and a claw footed tub. That tub had been one of the things that made her pick that particular apartment. She had fallen in love with the tub. Once the curse was broken she had realized that she loved that tub so much because she had one just like it in the palace she and Charming had shared there had been similar tub.

She ignored the tub and turned on the shower. She looked at herself in the mirror and started to sob. A week ago her husband could hardly keep his hands off of her. Now, he wasn't interested in her at all. Soon he would become so dedicated to solving other people's problems that he would stop making time for them. Little romantic gestures like sharing his sandwich would fall by the wayside. Also, there had been that mysterious phone call he had made before he came into the diner. It reminded her of when David would call her out of the blue. Maybe her husband was setting up a romantic encounter with another woman? She swallowed a sob. Well, she was not Mary Margaret, if some other woman had designs are her husband, she was going to fight for him. But what if he didn't want her to fight for him?

"Sharing his grilled cheese may be the last romantic thing he ever does for me!" She cried out loud and stepped into the shower and let the water cascade over her.

Unbeknownst to Snow, her husband had an extremely romantic gesture planed. He just needed help from some of their friends. 7 friends to be exact. He waited until he heard her turn on the water for the shower. He knew he had time because she was well known for taking extremely long showers. He picked up the phone and hit redial.

"Guys, I am ready if you are. She just got in the shower so that gives us plenty of time."

A couple of minutes later there was a soft knock on the door. He opened it and saw 6 of the 7 dwarfs carrying white boxes about the size of file boxes. Sneezy was holding a small gold box.

Grumpy had a scowl on his face, "Why we have to put in all the work to make you look good is beyond my understanding!"

"Snow has had a hard week, she really needs some TLC to cheer her up." Charming explained.

"We have all had a hard week," Grumpy reminded him.

"Snow feels things so much deeper though." He sighed.

"Don't we know it!" Bashful nodded. "You did not have to live with her during the 'Prince James is marrying another woman,' phase!"

Charming winched at the thought.

"At least the two of you are living together. The 7 of us are all living in different places." Grumpy huffed.

"We have always lived together!" Happy lamented.

"I am working on that," Charming promised. "I think I might have found you a house."

"It doesn't have to be big!" Doc commented.

"We like cozy!" Sleepy added.

"I will keep that in mind." He grinned. He really did love these guys. Mostly because they loved Snow; But they were also friends who could be counted on to come through.

"Where do you want the boxes?" Dopey asked.

"Upstairs in the bedroom, if you can manage." Charming indicated.

"We gave Sneezy the box of candy to carry, we didn't want an incident similar to what happened at the wedding!" Grumpy glared at his brother.

"I'm allergic to daisies!" He protested.

Charming smiled, "Well daisies are Snow's favorite flower, so we there really is no other choice in the matter. "Do you guys mind hanging the banner for Henry and letting yourselves out?"

"Of course, your majesty!" Grumpy grumbled.

Doc elbowed him in the side.

"We would be happy to do that," Grumpy corrected himself.

The 7 brothers filed upstairs. Charming went into the downstairs bathroom to take a quick shower. He much preferred the bathroom that he had been sharing with Snow. The one with both the tub and the shower. David and Mary Margaret had a few adventures in that tub. Some of which he wouldn't mind recreating with his wife. He quickly showered and slipped on one of two robes that he kept in the bathroom. He had discovered very quickly the awkwardness that came from living with an adult daughter and had started to stash clothes in different parts of the apartment. Once upstairs he could hear that the shower in the other bathroom had stopped, but he could still hear Snow singing to herself so he knew she was still in there.

He slipped on a pair of lounge pants and a blue t-shirt that complimented his eyes. He had looked for his black silk pJ's but he figured that his wife had pilfered them again. Not that he minded, he thought they looked much better on her anyway. He rearranged a few things in the bedroom and stood in the doorway of the room to wait for her.

She seemed startled to see him standing there. Indeed she was wearing his nightwear and he thought she looked incredibly sexy. The black silk against the white of her skin and the red of her lips was just stunning.

She saw her husband standing there leaning against the doorframe. His hair was still wet from the shower, the t-shirt he was wearing made the blue in his eyes sparkle like sapphires. He made her heart melt like butter. She had heard some of the girls that she taught refer to a boy as "hot." She had never been able to grasp what that meant. Now she understood, her husband was hot! Just looking at him sent a warm glow through her body.

He was staring at her in the pajamas.

"I guess what they say about once a thief, always a thief is true?" He grinned.

"The ring did end up being mine, so it was less a situation of theft and more pre-ownership. As for the pajamas I wear them when I want to feel close to you." She smiled.

"I wasn't talking about the ring or the pj's. I was talking about how the first time we met, you stole my heart and every time I look at you, you steal all over again."

He pulled her against him. "You don't have to wear my clothes to feel close to me." He whispered.

She opened the door and was rendered speechless. Every flat surface in the bedroom was covered with vases of white daises mixed with white roses. It was such a romantic gesture that it brought tears to her eyes. Tears of joy rather than the tears of doubt she had been shedding.

"How did you manage this?" She asked giving him an loving smile.

"I had some help from our friends." He admitted. "Snow, I want you to feel surrounded by love. Not just by me, but by everyone in your life." He gave her and affectionate look.

She sat crossed legged on the bed and opened the box of candy. It was all dark chocolate, which was her favorite. He sat behind her and rubbed her shoulders. She relaxed in his arms and allowed him to knead away some of the tension she had been carrying for such a long time.

She picked up one of the candies, "I wonder if this is caramel?" She took a bite and was pleasantly surprised to find out that it was her favorite.

Charming leaned his head on her shoulder and whispered in her ear, "I will let you in on a secret, they are all caramel."

She turned in his arms until she could kiss him. It was a loving, slow kiss. He could taste the sweet and salty remains of the chocolate on her lips. It was sublime and sultry all at the same time.

The door blew open and Henry thrust himself into the room, the moment was shattered.

"I told you to knock first!" Emma exclaimed a full 30 seconds too late.

"Ewe! They are kissing!" Henry lamented.

Charming laughed, After the things you read in that storybook, this bothers you?"

"I didn't think of you as my grandparents then." He shrugged.

Emma looked around the room at all of the flowers. Charming braced himself for a negative comment from her along the lines of an exploding flower shop.

"Nice!" Was all she said. It wasn't sarcastic or pointed. It was a simple, positive reaction.

"The welcome home banner was cool!" Henry exclaimed.

Snow gave her husband a questioning look. "You had time to hang a banner? No wonder you didn't have time to, um help me wash my hair."

He gave her an amused grin, "Next time!" He promised.

"Right!" Emma turned to Henry. "There is a Granny burger waiting downstairs for you kid. Then you need to shower and get ready for bed." She turned to her parents, "You two might want to get a lock for this door."

"Henry, there is a banana split in the freezer with you name on it," Charming informed him.

Emma ushered him out the door. Snow gave her husband a pout.

"I can not believe that you gave away my banana split!" She frowned.

"Snow, it had all melted together into a frozen disaster. Only a 10 year old would want to eat what I put in the freezer."

She continued to sulk.

"Besides, dearest I have something for you that is far better than a banana split." He gave her an enigmatic smile.

"Will it require a lock on the door?" She asked excitedly.

"Maybe, it depends on how appreciative you can be." He teased.

"Oh I can be very appreciative given the right incentive. Is it jewelry?"

"You are not really the jewelry type." He reminded her.

"True!" She shrugged. "Tell me what it is before I perish from curiosity!" She demanded.

"I am going to give you what every woman wants from her husband after a long hard day. I am going to give you a foot rub! What do you think of that?" He asked with pride in his voice.

"I think I am the luckiest woman on the planet!" She fell into his arms.

Next: Emma and Snow bond over motherhood.


	9. Chapter 9 Motherhood

A big thank you to all of my readers.

Disclaimer: I do not own these characters they are the property of ABC

Warning: Contains Snowing Smut

Chapter 9 Motherhood

Five weeks later.

Snow stood in the doorway of the bathroom, leaning against the frame, holding onto it for support. She was alone in the apartment, where they had all been living since the curse had been broken. They had kept the room at Granny's, but only used it when they desperately needed privacy or when it became clear that Emma needed space. Charming was checking on the progress of the additions to the cabin. Henry was on a highly supervised visit with Regina. King George, who represented the judicial branch of government, had allowed the restraining order filed by the Evil Queen against Emma and her parents to remain in effect. So, they could not be anywhere near the supervised visits. Regina was allowed to attend one of Henry's Little League games a month and then they could go to dinner at the diner, accompanied by Archie Hopper or another member to the Child Welfare Board. Snow decided that she would love to be a fly on the wall during the supervised visit chaperoned by the mad hatter, but that was not likely to happen.

"Mary Margaret are you ok?" Over a month had passed since the curse had been lifted and Emma still insisted on calling everyone by their Storybrooke names.

"Yes, no…I'm not sure. I'm pregnant." Her voice was barley a whisper and then she broke into a sob.

"Well, gee you two have been going at it like rabbits in heat, what do you expect to happen? If it turns out to be a girl and she was conceived on that table at Grany's are you going to name her Dinah"

Emma was the only one who laughed at the joke.

"Emma, you know that what occurred on that table could not result in the conception of a child." Her mother said softly.

"I thought it was rather clever. Dinah and diner, get it?"

"Can you please not joke right now." He mother pleaded. Emma noticed that she was more pale than usual.

"Wait a minute, David is the father?" Emma asked.

"Of course he is the father. The only other person I have been with in nearly a year is David!" Snow insisted adamantly.

"What about Dr. Whale?" Emma cringed.

"Dr. Whale is not the father of this child or any child I have ever or will ever conceive!" Snow stated angrily.

"Ok, no need to bite my head off." Emma gave her mother a sympathetic look.

"Besides, it has been over a month since the curse was broken, so Charming is without a doubt the father." Snow looked like she wasn't sure.

"Exactly, since you broke up with David a long time ago. Before he was suspected of killing Kathryn" This was the type of strange conversation that Emma had grown accustomed to having over the past month.

A guilty look crossed Snow's face.

"When did you last sleep with David?" Emma narrowed her eyes at her mother.

"Not that it matters, since they are the same person. If you must know, it was right before I was arrested for killing Kathryn, who was not dead at all need I remind you." Snow looked down in order to avoid looking her daughter in the eyes.

"What exactly do you mean by right before you were arrested?" Emma asked with a heavy sigh.

"We were together during his lunch hour that day in his room at Granny's!" Snow admitted grudgingly. Although, she was not sure why she was having to explain this to her daughter.

That is it! I am buying you a copy of "Women who love too much!" Emma looked appalled. "How could you even think about being with him when he was being investigated for murdering his wife?"

"I knew he had not hurt Kathryn and he was so lost and sad. I loved him and I wanted to be with him and we could not deny the connection between us. Did I really need to have any other reason? How about the fact that he was my husband!" Snow crossed her arms defiantly.

"You didn't know that he was your husband. You had known him for less than a year, during which time he had not done a single honorable thing. He could have killed you. Do not give me any crap about the curse either. Besides the fact that you being pregnant would have been a disaster if I hadn't broken the curse. Did the two of you ever stop to consider the effects that relationship would have had on some poor hapless child?" Emma gave her an angry look.

"David and I were always careful! I know you have trust issues, but you father is a good man. In time you will see that to be true."

"Then why are you crying about having another child with him?" Emma softened her voice. "You should be shouting it from the rooftops!"

"There is so much evil in this world."

"There always has been and probably always will be evil in the world. It didn't stop you from having me though. At least you don't have a curse hanging over you this time around. That should make everything easier."

"Emma, nothing is easy where love is concerned. The fact that your father and I love each other so intensely makes things so complicated sometimes." Snow sighed.

"David says that you feel things more intensely than other people. I can hardly believe that I am about to defend him, but could it be that you let your emotions make things more complicated than they have to be?" Emma gave her roommate a concerned look.

"What do you mean?" Snow asked defensively.

"Everything that happened between you and David over the past year, have you thought about the fact that maybe it was not all a result of the curse. Some of the drama might have been avoided it you had just relaxed and allowed yourself to be happy. "Emma shrugged.

"You were the one that just told me that I loved David too much." She glared at her daughter.

"No, I told you that you trusted a man who you hardly knew too much. You have been trying to convince me that the man you are with now, the father of this child and my father is a far superior man to David Nolan. Maybe life would be easier if you just trusted that man to take care of you?"

She braced for some kind of a defensive come back from the woman who she thought she had gotten to know pretty well over the past year.

Snow just stared at her and that was completely unnerving for Emma.

"Ruby told me that you two were having trouble when you were pregnant with me?" Emma continued.

"Emma, a lot happened between the time that your father awoke me from the sleeping curse and when Regina cast the other curse. Some of it I am not sure you are ready to hear." He mother had a far off look in her eyes.

"I don't have to hear all of the sordid details of your life before you became Mrs. Charming. Just make me understand what was going on at the time of my conception. Maybe it will help me understand your reluctance to have another child with this man."

"Do not mistake my initial reaction over finding out that I am pregnant as anything near reluctance to have another child. I love your father and I know that he loves me and we always planned on having a big family." Snow gave Emma a serious look.

Emma took a step backward. She silently cursed every storybook she had ever read. Clearly, the happily ever after that ended most of those books was a little more complicated in real life.

"Sorry, I am trying to understand the problem. Other than the fact that we are going to have to put up with David strutting around like a bantam rooster for the next 8 months, but what else is new?" Emma shrugged again.

"You father, as much as I love him, has one flaw. He always wants to be the hero. Now that is a fine trait most of the time, but sometimes it skews his priorities." Snow had a look of contemplation on her face.

Emma took her hand and led her out of the bathroom. They sat on the edge of Emma's bed and she brought out a cardboard box which had been under the bed. She opened lid and Snow saw the mobile for the first time in 28 years. Tears sprang to her eyes and she fingered the delicate pieces as if they were made of the most precious substance on earth.

"This is all that remains of your nursery." Snow held back sobs.

Emma was surprised at her reaction and she moved to cover the box, but her mother stopped her.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know that seeing it would upset you so much." Emma apologized.

"Right now everything seems to upset me." Her mother laughed. "I am glad you have it. Please don't feel you need to put it away."

"Can you tell me about it? Besides, the blanket, it is all I have from my childhood." Emma said in a matter of fact tone.

"Your father had it made by a group of fairies who lived in the far north. The dwarfs went personally to retrieve it from the ferries and bring it to the castle. They insisted that they had to be the ones who placed it above your crib personally. Your father was so excited that you were coming. We both were, but it might have been the one time in his life that he showed more emotion than I" A wistful smile crossed her face.

"He was happy when he thought he was getting son" She said sarcastically.

Her mother frowned, "We both always knew instinctively that you were going to be a girl."

"I read in the book that he claimed I was a boy." She tried to keep the shock out of her voice.

Her mother rolled her eyes, "Another one your father's grandiose ideas on how to keep you safe. Keep as much information about the baby secret as possible. "

"Clearly that secret did not last long." Emma stated under her breath.

"Some secrets are more important than others." Snow had that faraway look in her eyes that tended to worry Emma.

"Well, I'm sure that David will be ecstatic about this baby." There was a note of regret in her voice that did not go unnoticed by her mother. This baby was their second chance to be the parents they couldn't be for her. Coming so soon after they had found their daughter made things so complicated.

"Oh I am not going to tell him about the baby. At least not yet." Snow stated simply.

"It is hardly something that can be kept secret, especially considering how amorous the two of you are." Emma shuddered at the thought. They all lived together and they were all adults, it was hard to ignore what she knew went on between her parents.

Snow nodded her head in agreement, "You would be surprised to learn how much men, even one as intuitive as you father, miss unless it is pointed out. Of course, I will not be able to keep it from him for very long. If this is anything like when I was pregnant with you, I will be so sick from morning sickness in about 3 weeks that I will hardly be able to stand upright!" She shuddered at the thought.

"Tell me about it!" Emma remarked, "When I was pregnant with Henry I was so sick I thought I was going to die!"

A look of regret crossed Snow's face. "I am so sorry. I would give anything to go back in time and be with you during your pregnancy."

"Not your fault." Emma said simply. She handed the box to her mother "I want my brother or sister to have this." She stated with feeling. "I also want to support you in any way I can." She promised.

"Will you go with me to the clinic tomorrow?" Snow asked.

"Of course, even if this were not my brother or sister we were talking about, I would go with you." She gave her roommate a hug. "I still don't understand why you are keeping this from David though."

"First of all, I think you need some time to process this."

"True, but it shouldn't really be about me." Emma insisted.

"That is only part of it and maybe I am being selfish, but I would kind of like a couple of weeks to enjoy being pregnant before I have to deal with the over protective father- to- be that my husband will surely become." She sighed

"It couldn't be that bad." Emma said sarcastically

"When I first told him that she was pregnant with you, he had made her stop riding horses!" She exclaimed.

Emma gave her a strained look, "When was the last time you rode a horse?" Emma could not remember the last time she had seen a horse in Storybrooke.

"Before I was pregnant with you. That is hardly the point though! I may want to ride a horse." Snow pouted

"Sure." Emma stated in a disbelieving voice. "I'll start looking for you a horse to ride just so you can challenge his authority." She rolled her eyes.

"It got worse!" Snow continued, "Also, Charming declared that he was moving out of our shared bedchamber because he was afraid that he might roll over in bed and crush me and the baby. I quickly put a stop to that nonsense by sending him to Doc for a very uncomfortable talk about how we could not only continue to share a bed, but we could also continue to be intimate nearly up until the baby was born. Now, normally sex with him is sublime, but for some reason the hormones churning around when I am pregnant make everything so much better." Snow stated victoriously.

Emma's eyes widened in horror, "Ok, if you really want me to start thinking of him as my father. You are going to have to stop sharing that kind of information." She said seriously.

"I am sure he is going to find new ways to protect me," Snow ignored the horror written on her daughter's face, "He will probably stop me from drinking tap water and forbid me from crossing the street on my own." Snow stated sarcastically.

"What do you need to be protected from? Am I missing something?" They both looked up to see Charming standing in the doorway.

Emma rolled her eyes. "So it begins! I have a town meeting to attend. I will probably be late. I'll pick Henry up from the diner on my way home. Play nice kids!"

Charming watched Emma leave the bedroom. He looked down at the mobile and frowned in concentration.

"Emma really did have it?" He asked.

Snow put the top back on the box and sat it aside, "I was just telling Emma about how you sent the dwarf's to the far north to pick the mobile up from the fairies."

He smiled at the memory, "Remember how they fought over who was going to hang it up over the crib?"

She smiled and he pulled her into his arms and gave her a deep and lingering kiss.

"I missed you," He whispered into her ear.

She smiled.

"How is the cabin renovation commencing?" She asked

"It is coming along great. A few more months and it should be ready for us to move in. I'm glad we have Gapetto as our foremen, I hardly need to be there at all," His face fell. "I am afraid it is hardly a castle though."

"If Henry has any say in the design, it will have turrets," She laughed.

As wistful look crossed her husbands face, "I have actually found that I am pretty good with a hammer and saw though."

She brushed sawdust out of his hair, "I am glad that you are able to help. I know how much you like to be useful.

He had a faraway look in his eyes, as if he was not really hearing what she was saying.

"Charming, is there a problem?" She gave him a concerned look.

"My darling Snow," He took a deep breath as if he was having a hard time finding the courage to continue. "I always dreamed that we would have a big family. Yet, the Queen and her curse seemingly robed us of that opportunity"

She nodded in agreement and tried to keep the expression on her face calm. Was it possible that he knew that she was pregnant?

"Oh Snow, I was looking at the plans to the cabin today and I think the northeast corner would be perfect for a nursery. The sun would not come directly in the window, so the baby could sleep later in the morning. No pressure or anything."

He gave her a heart melting smile and she almost broke down and told him then and there, but she wanted to be sure first. She kissed him lightly on the lips.

"Are you sure you want to have another child?" She asked.

"Of course, I want to have lots of them, we are still young." He winked at her.

"Things are so uncertain in this land." She sighed.

He took both her hands in his and looked directly into her eyes.

"Snow, nothing is uncertain as long as we are together. Our love is certain, our family is certain; that we will have a home together is certain. These are fixed things no matter what realm we are in. Now if there is some other reason that you can think of for us not to have another child, you should probably let me know now." Because you know how I am once I get an idea in my head, I follow it through to the end.

He gave her a powerful look, one that reached out and tugged at her heart and pierced her soul. Emma's advice to trust her husband ran through her head. Not that they had much choice anyway, but the fact that Charming wanted another child elated her.

"I think it is a wonderful idea. In fact, I think we should start practicing right way." She gave him a titillating look.

"Now?" He gave her a puzzled look and looked around the room as if he expected Emma and Henry to jump out of the closet at any moment.

"Unless you have other plans," Her cell phone beeped and she saw that she had a text message from Red, "The game just went into extra innings. I just saw your prince headed your way. Have fun on your play date"

Even though they had to stay away from Regina when she had her visits with Henry, they had a network of friends that kept them updated. Snow had often wondered how they had gotten along in the their kingdom without cell phones. They had the birds or course, but they had nothing on Twitter.

"Emma will be at the town meeting for a while and Henry's game just went into extra innings," She gave him a smoldering look and pushed him towards the edge of the bed.

Saw dust fell out of his hair.

"However, you are filthy!" She teased.

"I will go take the fastest shower known to man." He promised and got up from the bed.

She smiled at him in an enigmatic fashion, "I have a better idea."

She took his hand and led him to the bathroom. She ran water in the claw footed tub.

She filled the tub with water helped him undress and helped him into the tub. She took a cloth and lathered it with the most masculine body wash she could find.

"Are you going to join me?" He asked hopefully.

She considered for a moment. In a month or two she would not be able to bend over the tub, much less get in and out. But that was not what she had in mind at the moment.

"No," She stated firmly, "I also have a rule that you are going to have to follow. For the next 10 minutes you can not say a word. You can only listen."

He started to protest, but she raised a finger to his mouth to shush him.

"The 10 minutes starts now." She bent over and kissed him just long enough to make him want more. Then she pulled away.

She took the cloth and gently washed his neck, shoulders and chest.

"I love how strong you are and how you have scarified yourself so many times to protect your family. You are royalty not by birth, but by the deeds you have done. The scars you carry on your body are a testament to your bravery and loyalty. I love the way I always feel safe when I am ion your arms."

She ran the cloth over his hands.

"I love your hands. I love the way you use them to gently caress me. I love the way you hold them out to our daughter and grandson to lead them down the right path in life. I love the way you use them to weld a sword. I love the way you are using them to build us a home.

She moved to his face.

"I love your face. I love the way you set your jaw when you are determined. I love your lips, which have saved my life more times than I can count. If the eyes are the windows to your soul, yours is beautiful. I love the fact that the area behind your ears is one of your trigger spots and I am the only one who knows that secret."

She continued to bathe him and tell him what she loved about ever inch of his body. It took more than 10 minutes and he didn't say a word. The truth of the matter was that he was left speechless after about a minute. By the time she was finished and he was clean, he had to have help standing. He was also so turned on that once she helped him out of the tub he nearly threw her down on the floor and made love to her on the spot. Snow was pretty turned on as well. The room was filled with steam and she was not certain that all the heat had been generated by the cooling bath water. Still, she managed to find a way to make her legs mover her out of the bathroom and into the hall. The cool air hit her body like a cold shower, but it did not cool her desire for her husband. In fact, if he did not follow her to their bedroom in less than a minute, she was going to have to take a cold shower.

"Snow," He moaned her name and it sounded like a wounded animal. He wrapped a towel around his dripping wet body and followed her into the hall. The same cold air hit him, but it had no effect on his body temperature because he noticed that she was leaving a trail of her clothing leading to the bedroom.

She was trying to kill him. That was the only way to explain why she would do what she had been doing for the last 20 minutes and then leave him to fend for himself and make it to the bedroom. He could hardly stand up, he felt drunk, intoxicated by her touch. He was pretty sure that if he was not able to have his way with her in the next 10 seconds he was going to died from delayed gratification.

She was nearly naked when she reached the bedroom. She caught a glimpse of her own reflection in the full length mirror that hung on the closet door. Her stomach was flat and there were no tell tale signs of the changes she knew were going on in her body. She ran her hand over her stomach and she was sure that she could feel the life growing inside of her. The life created by their love. First it had been Emma and now this new child would be just as strong, because their love was so strong. She saw him appear behind her as if he had materialized from thin air.

"Snow White, you are in so much trouble. You can not do what you did to a man and then walk off and leave him." He had a wicked, sultry gleam in his eyes.

She looked down at the floor and saw the white towel hit the floor as it puddle around her feet she had one though. She could not remember that last time she looked forward to getting into trouble as much as she did that night.


	10. Hurts so Good

As always, a big thank you to all of my readers.

Disclaimer: I do not own these characters they are the property of ABC

Chapter 10 It Hurts so Bad

The next morning Snow and Charming were a mess. They could both hardly move, they had numerous love bites on various parts of their bodies and he had scratches on his back from her nails. She reached over to the bedside table to turn on the lamp and noticed that it was lying in pieces on the floor. She reached into a drawer and brought out a jar of lavender cream to put on the scratches on his back.

He winched in pain as her fingers smoothed the cream over the marks left by her nails.

"I don't think I can move." He groaned.

"I never remember being this sore before." Snow commented.

"We got pretty vigorous." He laughed.

"It was pretty great though." She sighed "Would you do it again?" She asked as her face flushed from pink to red.

"Hell yeah!" He whooped "If I could move I would do it again right now!" He grinned salaciously.

He leaned over and kissed her. Even that hurt. She tasted like lavender though and he enjoyed how the flavor lingered on his lips.

He looked up at the ceiling, "Do we have to get out of bed today?" He asked more than half serious.

Snow thought for a moment and remembered that she and Emma were going to visit the clinic in order to confirm that she was pregnant. They had to get there early or they would have a long wait.

She practically pushed him out of the bed, "Yes we do have to get up, now!" She grabbed her robe and pulled open the curtains so sunlight spilled into the room.

He squinted against the light and pulled the covers over his head. She pulled the covers back, saw his naked body and almost lost all of her resolve.

"Why do I have to get up?" He moaned "When all I want to do is spend the day holding you!"

"That cabin is not going to renovate itself!" She insisted in a snappish tone.

"The crew is very good. I don't have to be there to oversee every step of the renovation." He tried to give her a seductive look and tried to pull her back against him.

"Charming, I am not a wind up doll! I can hardly walk this morning! My body needs a rest." She pulled the belt on her robe tightly and walked out of the room.

All he could do is watch her leave and laugh happily.

"Snow White, I adore you most ardently!" He called after her retreating form and was rewarding with a beaming smile from his lady love.

He put on his robe and followed her out of the room.

Snow barged into Emma's room and pulled open the curtains. Her daughter groaned and pulled the covers over her head just as her father had done.

Snow pulled the covers down and sat on the edge of the bed. She had her arms full of shoes.

"Emma, why is it that none of my shoes fit?" She dropped them on the floor and they made a loud thump.

Emma groaned. There was no way she was going to get back to sleep.

She looked towards the door and heard the water running and figured that her father was in the shower.

Still, she spoke softly, "Probably because you are pregnant and your feet are going to be one of the first places to swell, followed by your breast and then every other part of your body until you will feel like the cousin of a bloated whale!" Emma groaned at the memory.

A look of horror crossed Snow's face.

"That did not happen in fairytale land!" Snow stated emphatically. "Pregnant women in fairytale land just kind of get a cute little bump in front and that is pretty much it. Nothing swells or spreads and our shoes do not stop fitting!"

"You have to be kidding me?" Emma asked as she threw back the covers. "I guess that is why they called it fantasyland." She said sarcastically. "Here things are going to be very different."

"I will not stand for my feet to swell!" Her mother stated firmly.

Emma laughed, "You don't have much choice. Just borrow some of my shoes." She told her mother.

Snow went to Emma's closet and started looking through her shoes.

"Why do you have so many pairs of boots?" She asked as she started to throw shoes behind her until there was a small pile on the floor.

"Maybe Ella has some shoes I can wear. She was pregnant in this world." Snow stopped to ponder this idea for a moment.

"As far as I remember, Ashley didn't have much." Emma commented.

Snow finally found a pair of shoes that she liked.

"Oh good, your father is out of the shower." She took off for the bathroom.

Emma pulled herself out of bed and stumbled downstairs, "I need coffee." She said to no one in particular.

After a long shower that eased some of her aches and pains, Snow quickly dressed. Henry was sitting on the stairs with a pensive look on his face. The sound of a heated argument between Emma and her father drifted through the air.

"Will they ever get along?" He asked with a concerned look on his face.

Snow sighed and sat down beside her grandson and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"They are so much alike, both of them are so headstrong and reactive." Snow sighed.

"I just wanted us to be a family." Henry shook his head sadly.

"Henry, we are a family. It is going to take us all a while to get used to our new roles. Your grandfather and I are trying to get used to the idea that our daughter is as old as we are. We still think of her as our little girl. Your mother is still getting used to the idea that she has parents, that they are fairy tale characters and that they have not aged in 28 years!"

Snow frowned. Now that she said it out loud, it was a bit strange.

"Maybe you just need to accept that she is not a child and then move forward?" Henry suggested.

Snow thought about what he had just said. There was no way for them to possibly get back the lost years of Emma's life. They had to accept the fact that their daughter had grown up without their parental influence. Never-the-less, she had become a strong, smart and capable young woman.

"Henry, I think you might be right. Instead of trying to recapture the past, all of us need to look towards the future."

Instinctively her hand went to her stomach where the newest member of their family was growing nurtured by the love that emanated from the people around him or her. She could almost feel the life energy emanating from her unborn child. She shook her head and decided it must be her imagination. The child was only a few weeks old, there was no possibility that she could feel it already.

"Let's go and see what we can find for breakfast." Snow suggested, "I am starving!"

When Snow walked into the kitchen the first thing her husband did was look at her feet.

"Are you wearing Emma's shoes?" He asked with a confused look on his face.

"Yes, we are girls and we borrow each other's clothes. Deal with it!" She snapped.

A goofy grin crossed her husband's face.

"This is starting to feel very familiar." He hinted cryptically. "Please be a boy." He said under his breath and then could not help but smile again.

Emma shot him a shocked look. Snow and Henry seemed to have missed the exchange all together.

"That reminds me," Emma turned to Henry. "Mary Margaret and I have an appointment this morning. So you are going to get to go to the cabin with David."

"What kind of appointment?" Henry asked "Can I come?"

"It's at the clinic, you would be bored, Kid." Emma informed him causally.

"You are going to the clinic today, is everything alright?" Charming asked with grave concern in his voice.

"Yes, everything is fine. It is just girl stuff." Snow assured him.

"Does this have anything to do with last night?" He asked worried.

"No!" She assured him.

"Was I too rough?" He asked sincerely.

Emma groaned and Snow's face flushed red with embarrassment. Henry did not seem to understand what they were talking about.

"It has nothing to do with last night!" She snapped impatiently.

"Can I stay here alone?" Henry asked in a pleading voice.

"Under no circumstances will you be allowed to stay home alone. It is far too dangerous!" His grandfather informed him with a serious tone in his voice.

"I am almost 11!" He pointed out.

"He's right," Emma stated, "He was born 2 days before my birthday."

Snow and Charming exchanged a surprised look. They did not even know when Emma's birthday was.

"You were the best birthday present I never got to keep." Emma stated with a slight sadness in her voice.

"Well, you have me now!" Henry beamed "So, can I please stay home alone? The evil queen let me stay home alone all the time." He added.

"Yeah and we all know how well that worked out. You were always sneaking out of the house to see me!" Emma reminded him sternly.

"Emma, maybe we should let him stay home if that is what he really wants to do." Snow said, thinking about the conversation she had with Henry about letting her child grow up. "August installed that new lock and he knows better than to go out alone or let anyone in the apartment."

Emma conceded. "Do not open the door to anyone, do not let anyone in the apartment, and do not take gifts of combs or apples from scary old women!" She instructed sternly.

"Why should he be afraid of combs or apples?" Three voices asked in unison.

"The apples should be self-explanatory and the combs come from the same story, just a different version." Emma sighed

"Can I play on the computer?" Henry begged.

"Just until David leaves," Emma instructed, "then I want you to do something productive."

Henry ran upstairs.

Charming threw his wife a, "I think we need to talk look."

She shook her head, "Not now!" she mouthed.

"Maybe I should leave you two alone?" Emma asked.

"Yes!" Charming almost knocked over the table.

"No!" Snow protested. "Come on Emma, we are going to be late for our appointment."

Charming grabbed her wrist lightly and pulled her to him.

"Is everything really alright?" He asked urgently.

"Yes," She smiled "I love you Charming and we will talk. As soon as Emma and I are finished we will pick up Henry, grab lunch at Granny's and come out to the cabin."

"It's a date!" He gave her a slow, smoldering kiss before letting her go with Emma.

As soon as they were out the door he sat down on a chair and stared into space. Clearly something was wrong. Maybe Snow really didn't want to have another child so soon after the curse was broken? Maybe she really did not want to raise a child in this uncertain land? Maybe she suspected that he was not the father? The last idea nearly broke his heart. He needed to do something to keep his mind off of all the questions.

"Henry, I'm leaving for the cabin. Come lock the door behind me!" He yelled up the stairs.

As soon they were in the hall Snow turned to Emma.

"I think your father suspects something." She said with a wide eyed look.

"What would make you think that he suspects something?" Emma asked in a sarcastic voice.

Emma helped her mother change into an examination gown in one of the patient rooms at the clinic. Emma's face registered shock when she saw all of the purple marks on various parts of Snow's body.

"You should see the other guy." Snow smiled in a guilty fashion.

"Do they hurt?" Emma asked wide eyed.

"Not really, unlike the nail marks I left on your father's back. I feel slightly bad about those." Her face flushed red.

Emma put her head in her hands and groaned.

The nurse came in and did a quick examination and took some blood. They waited silently for the results, which only took about 10 minutes.

"Well, you are not pregnant!" The nurse casually informed the two stunned women.

Snow's face registered genuine pain.

"Check again! Emma angrily demanded and she stood face to face with the nurse.

"I beg your pardon? The test is 99% accurate the first time." The nurse insisted.

"Run the test again and send a doctor in with the results this time." Emma stated angrily.

When the nurse left Snow started to get dressed again, but Emma stopped her with a restraining hand.

"The doctor will need to perform an exam on you before we leave." Emma said gently.

One tear escaped from Snow's eye. "It is okay, Emma. Maybe this is just not a good time for your father and me to have another child." She sighed.

Emma gave her a serious look.

"Even David thinks you are pregnant. The two of you are having another child regardless of what you think about the timing, you need to deal with it!" She glared at her mother.


	11. Chapter 11 Love At First Sight

A huge thank you to everyone that pointed out that there appeared to be scenes missing from chapter 11. That was a huge understatement because what got posted was about a tenth of the completed chapter. Here is the completed chapter, which should clear up any confusion.

As always, thank you for reading.

I own nothing.

Chapter 11 Love At First Sight Complete Chapter

A look of surprise crossed Snow's face. Before she could question the statement that Emma had made, the door opened and the doctor strolled in with a smile on his face.

"She was wise to question the first test. You are pregnant by about 8 weeks. I am going to do a quick physical examination and send you on your way with some pamphlets." He started to feel under her gown.

"8 weeks?" Snow repeated. Her voice was slightly crestfallen.

Emma realized that it was before the curse was broken. She reached over and placed one hand on the hand of her mother.

"Is that a problem?" Emma asked sympathetically.

"Of course it is not a problem." She gave her daughter a reassuring smile. "This child was created out of love no matter when it was conceived. It makes it a bigger miracle because it defined the odds. This child is powerful, Emma. Can you feel it? It already beat a curse!" She smiled excitedly.

Snow turned to the doctor.

"How long before we will know if it is a boy or a girl?"

She was almost giddy with anticipation. It did not really matter to her, but she knew that her husband really wanted a son and so she really hoped they were having a boy this time. With Emma, she knew almost immediately that it was a girl. For some reason she could not feel out this child in that way.

"I will have the nurse schedule an ultrasound for later this week. They might be able to tell at that appointment." The doctor answered.

The doctor was looking with concern at some of the bruises and love bites that were visible on her body.

"Should I be concerned about those? You know, any instances of abuse you report to me are covered by patient/doctor confidentiality."

"It was not abuse. She enjoyed getting those!" Emma stated with forcefulness in her voice that surprised both her and her mother. "At least, I am guessing that she was having fun at the time." Emma blushed.

Snow gave the doctor a guilty look, but she nodded in the affirmative.

"You might want to tone things done a level or two." He advised.

"Can it be dangerous for the baby?" Snow asked curiously.

"Probably not, some women find that their sexual appetite increases during pregnancy. It can be a vital way for the couple to stay connected. As long as you are not going at each other with whips and chains, a healthy sex live can be an important part of your pregnancy."

Emma rolled her eyes, "Please do not encourage her!"

"You should probably be more supportive of your partner. You know, she is not having this baby alone!" The doctor scolded.

"She is my mother!" Emma snapped impatiently.

The doctor looked at her chart.

"She is 28 years old. There is no way she could possibly be your mother." The doctor gave her a skeptical look.

"I see you are not from around here. See what you have done?" Emma turned to her mother, "You are coming to these appointments alone from this day on until you have the baby." She glared at Snow.

The doctor consulted the chart again.

"I see you drink several cups of coffee a day. You might want to cut down on the amount of caffeine you consume."

A horrified look crossed Snow's face.

"I am willing to make many sacrifices, especially for my children," She smiled at Emma, "I was willing to give up my castle and my servants. I sent my daughter away in a magic tree in the hopes that she would have a better life. However, I refuse to give up my caffeine or my trips to Granny's Diner at 7:15!"

Her voice rose in anger and excitement until the doctor was forced to take several steps back against the wall.

"You don't have to go to Granny's at 7:15 anymore." Emma reminded her.

"Oh right!" Snow replied.

The doctor looked at them as if he thought they might need a physiological evaluation.

"Maybe you could try drinking tea?" He asked meekly.

"I guess I could try that." Snow shrugged.

The doctor took that opportunity to flee the room under the pretense that Snow needed privacy to get re-dressed.

"I can hardly wait to tell your father!" Snow practically overflowed with glee.

The expression on Emma's face was harder to read.

"Emma is something wrong?" Her mother asked with great concern in her voice.

"Of course not, I am just not used to seeing you genuinely happy and knowing that David played some part in that happiness. You wear happiness well." She gave her mother a hopeful smile.

Snow hugged her daughter.

"I love you so much. You will always be my little girl, no matter how many other children your father and I have."

"Are you planning on having more?" Emma asked in horror.

"Let's just get through this pregnancy and see what happens." Snow laughed.

Before they left the clinic a nurse printed out several pages of instructions and helpful tips for expectant parents.

Snow was looking at some of the information.

"Emma did that doctor think that you and I are having this baby together as a couple?" Confusion registered on her face.

Emma laughed.

"I believe that was the general impression. Don't worry about it though. He wasn't from around here."

Snow was looking at the pamphlets again.

"Most of what they gave me does not fit my situation and the rest of it is quite frightening!" She commented with a mix of shock and frustration showing on her face.

"Try dealing with it on your own, when you are about to turn 18." Emma commented sarcastically.

"I am so sorry." Her mother lamented. "But it you hadn't gone through it when you were 18 we would not have Henry in our lives now."

"True!" Her daughter admitted reluctantly.

Snow looked up at the sign over a building.

"Oh look Emma, it's a tea shop! I am starving, let's stop for a snack before we go back to the apartment and pick up Henry."

Emma shook her head at the idea that her mother was actually hungry, but allowed herself to be dragged into the tea shop none-the-less.

They found a small table and Snow looked at the menu.

"The doctor told me to drink more tea, but I think we should order some food first." Snow decided that she wanted to try everything, but Emma talked her into ordering a small assortment of sandwiches and cakes.

"What did you mean when you said that the baby is powerful?"

Emma asked with a puzzled look on her face.

Snow that for a moment.

"It just kind of popped into me head and came out my mouth. Your father and I always knew that you were special Emma. You were destined to be the savior. This child feels as if he or she already has a destiny as well and is powerful enough to fulfill said destiny. Maybe every parent feels that way about their children." She studied the menu again.

Emma shrugged.

"Maybe, but I know what it feels like to have a destiny thrown at you. It can be overwhelming and I experienced it as an adult. I want to make sure that my brother or sister does not feel as if they have to save the world just because they are the off spring of Snow White and Prince Charming."

Snow gave her daughter a sympathetic smile.

"One thing is for sure, with you as a big sister, he or she will never have to save the world alone. Now, what do you know about tea?" Snow asked her daughter.

"I know nothing what so ever about tea!" Emma laughed.

"Perhaps I can be of assistance?" They turned towards a voice behind them.

"Jefferson?" Emma asked.

Snow rose from her seat and stood in front of Emma. Her stance was very much that of a protective mother lioness.

"Stay away from her!" Snow's voice crackled with energy.

"I come in peace!" He gave them both a maddening smile.

"It's is okay," Emma insisted, "Jefferson helped me get custody of Henry. He sits on the Child Welfare Council."

"Of course, I remember now." Snow stated, but she still stood firmly between Jefferson and Emma.

"I only came over to find out how Henry is adjusting." He insisted "And to offer my advice on tea." He shrugged.

"I am not sure we should drink anything that you offer!" Snow replied, "After all, you did tie me up and hold me hostage. You did drug Emma, with tea I might add, and you did hold her hostage and force her to make a hat!" Snow glared at him angrily.

"I guess it would be too much to ask you to buy the excuse that we were all cursed?" He gave her an unnerving grin.

"It is way too much to ask! So, pardon me for not wanting to take tea with a raving lunatic!" Snow's reaction was point blank.

Emma's jaw dropped and she looked embarrassed.

Snow was about to leave, but at that moment her tea tray arrived and she was hungry. It was a public establishment and they could hardly afford to poison their customers!

Jefferson addressed the woman who had brought the cakes and sandwiches.

"Alice, will you make sure that they try a pot of the topsy turvey blend. Put it on my tab."

"Seriously, that is Alice?" Emma rolled her eyes.

Jefferson gave her an exasperated look.

"She is not the Alice!" He turned to Snow. "I can see that Henry is in very good hands. He should have nothing to fear with you as his Grandma!" He placed a hard emphasis on the word "Grandma." This unnerved Snow White for some reason. She was glad to see that he was leaving.

"That man is severely unhinged." Snow stated as she watched him leave.

"Still, he did help me with Henry. He has a daughter who he is fighting to get back and there is something intriguing about him." Emma stated wistfully.

Alice brought a pot of stemming tea, which Snow eyed suspiciously.

"There is nothing wrong with my tea or the food severed in this establishment!" She stated with indignation.

Everything looked delicious and even Emma was starting to feel hungry. They dug into the food and drink and hoped that the woman was telling the truth.

"What a strange morning! I guess the food was not drugged" Snow stated as they returned to the apartment.

Emma was about to agree when she saw a sight that made her heart nearly stop. The door leading from the hallway stood slightly ajar.

"Henry where are you?" Emma called franticly.

He wasn't in any room on the bottom floor. Emma ran upstairs to check there. Snow saw a note sitting on the table.

"Emma, he left a note!" Snow yelled up the stairs.

Emma came downstairs and took the note from her mother. She read it out loud.

"I have run away to Boston. I will come back when everyone here is able to get along. I want us to be a real family. Do not try to follow me. Bad things happen when people try to leave."

"We have to go after him!" Snow firmly told her daughter.

"You heard what Henry said, bad things happen when people try to leave." Emma reminded her.

"That was true before the curse was broken. As far as we know, it is now safe to leave. He is my grandson and I am going after him!" She exclaimed as she grabbed her car keys.

Emma had no choice but to go after her mother.

Charming figured that he would have been better off staying home that morning and spending time with Henry. He found it impossible to concentrate and he was actually a liability because he kept getting in the way of the workers.

All he could do was sit and stare at the spot where he envisioned the future nursery and wonder why Snow refused to talk about the fact that they were having another child. He knew that she was pregnant because he could feel it in his heart. Plus, all of the other signs pointed in that direction. She had been moody and her appetite had been staggering. Not to mention her sexual appetite pointed to surging hormones, which were not an entirely bad thing.

A smile crossed his face as he thought about how lucky he was to be with the woman he loved, to have a wonderful daughter and grandson and to possibly have another child on the way.

He looked at his phone to see how long he would have to wait to see his lovely wife. He noticed he had missed a call. With all the construction noise it was sometimes difficult to hear his phone. He played back a message from 10 minutes earlier. It was from Snow and his heart filled with joy at hearing her voice. The connection had been bad and he could only catch bits and pieces of what she said. Something about Henry running away and that she and Emma were following him. He thought she said something about Boston.

Geppetto approached and gave his prince a serious look.

"Is everything alright?" he asked in a fatherly tone.

Charming looked as his phone. His brow was furrowed in concentration. He just could not be sure. Then it hit him, the pain that felt like someone had reached into his chest and was squeezing his heart. The only other time that he had felt it was when Regina had used the apple to poison Snow.

"Snow!" He cried out in agony.

A moment later his cell phone rang.

"Emma, what has happened?" He asked urgently. "I will be right there.

He did not stop to explain to Geppetto. He simply bolted from the cabin as quickly as he could. The only thing on his mind was the safety of his wife and unborn child.

When Charming reached the hospital he saw a nurse attempting to tend to Emma and several nurses and doctors hovering over Snow, who was unconscious. He went straight to his daughter.

"Are you alright? What happened?" He asked with fatherly concern in his voice.

"I am not sure," Emma nearly sobbed, "We were on our way to find Henry and we were near the town limits. That is the last thing that I remember until I heard sirens and we were on our way here."

He gave his daughter a reassuring hug.

"Everything will be alright." He told her as a cast a worried look towards his wife.

"What is wrong with her?" He asked one of the nurses.

"We are trying to find out. She came in unconscious." The nurse shrugged.

Charming's face turned the color of cold ash.

"What about the baby?" His voice barely rose above that of a fearful whisper.

The nurse indicated a separate monitor, "We have the baby on a fetal monitor and the heartbeat is strong. We will be taking her downstairs for an ultrasound as soon as she is stabilized." The nurse gave his arm a reassuring squeeze.

He let out a breath of air.

Doctor Whale had been attending to Snow, but now he stepped forward.

"You know since she is unconscious, now might be a good time to perform a DNA test on the baby. Just to make sure who is really the father of the little tyke." He smiled deviously.

Charming glared at him. This man had a one night stand with his wife, supported Regina at the custody hearing where Emma nearly lost Henry and now the fiend was insulting his unborn child? Charming had taken all he was willing to take from the doctor. He hauled off and punched Whale squarely in the jaw, sending the man flying across the room where he landed firmly on his butt.

"Get him out of here!" Whale yelled. "He is banned from this room!"

Security was there in an instant and started to physically remove the prince. He waved them off and walked out into the hall. Emma followed.

"Feel better?" She asked her father, who was rubbing the bruised knuckles on his right hand.

"A little," He softly admitted. "He has been asking for it for a long time." He said.

"I agree, but how can you help Mary Margaret if you can't both be in the same room." Emma asked concerned.

"Can he really ban me from her room? After all, she is my wife." He looked through the window at her like a lost puppy.

"Unfortunately, you have no legal right to call her your wife in this world. David Nolan is not married to Mary Margaret." She gave him a serious look.

A nurse brought him an ice pack for his hand.

"You have to be kidding me? Everyone knows that we are married." He placed the ice on his bruised hand.

"I said that you do not have a legal right to be in there, but I do. The two of us made out legal documents grating the other power of attorney. I might be able to get you in the room for the ultrasound." She gave him a reassuring look.

"I am not worried about the ultrasound. I was in a coma here for so long that half the nurses have a crush on me." He gave her a triumphant wink. "Where is Henry?" He asked urgently.

At that moment Regina burst through the door, "I would like to know the answer to that question as well. Where is my son?" Her eyes blazed with anger.

"He left a note saying that he was leaving for Boston. We were trying to follow him, when something or someone stopped us."

Both Emma and her father glared at Regina.

Charming slammed her up against the wall and held her by the throat.

"What did you do to Snow?" He seethed.

Regina's eyes bulged and she chocked from lack of breath.

"I did nothing to your precious Snow. Do you really think I would have left her unscathed?" She indicated Emma.

"She cut my break lines the when I first came to town." Emma informed him.

Charming squeezed harder.

"I did not touch the car or either of them." Regina pleaded.

"She is telling the truth!" It was the voice of Grumpy. "I just got finished checking the car. There is nothing mechanically wrong with the vehicle.

"Then she cast some kind of curse and it can be broken." Charming said hopefully.

He let Regina go and she rubbed her neck.

"I had nothing to do with it. I wish I had cast some kind of curse against Snow. I hate her enough." Regina shrugged. "I just want to find Henry and make sure he is alright. We need to find a way to follow him to Boston."

Emma shook her head in positive agreement.

"How are we supposedly going to go after Henry when it still appears to be impossible to leave town?" Charming asked redundantly.

"Why is that anyway? I have left before and so did August. The Curse did not seem to prevent Henry from leaving when he came to Boston to find me."

"There is some kind of barrier spell woven into the original Curse. Not even I know exactly how it works. It might only work on those who were a part of the Curse" Regina admitted somewhat reluctantly.

"What about Gold? Could he help us?" Emma asked.

"I doubt it. The whole point of the curse, on his part, was to get him here to find his son. He is still hanging around, so something makes me think that he is stuck here as well. " Regina hated to share information with enemies, but she wanted her son back and if she had to team up with these two in order to find Henry, she would.

"We should go ask him anyway." Emma suggested.

"Can I meet you two there?" Charming asked. He looked over to where his wife was being stabilized. He wanted to be there when they checked on the baby, but it was clear that he did not want Regina to know about the baby.

"Of course, take your time." Emma stated as she took one last look at her mother.

They took Snow to the ultrasound room by a back elevator, but one of the nurses came and told him where to go, so he actually beat his wife to the exam room. When they wheeled her in she looked pale, still and lifeless. However, she was breathing, taking barely discernible shallow breaths. His heart broke to see her in such a state. It reminded him of how she looked when she was under the influence of the sleeping curse.

Charming measured his life in moments. The first moment he ever saw Snow. The moment he realized that he loved her. The moment she told him that they could never be together because she did not love him. The moment he realized that he was going to go after her no matter what and the moment in the forest when he woke her from the sleeping curse. The moment she agreed to be his wife. The moment Snow became his wife in the physical sense. The moment when Emma was born and the moment he saw the empty wardrobe and knew she had made it to safety. The moment he was reunited with his family after the curse had been broken. So many precious moments that made up his lifetime.

Yet, none of those moments prepared him for the tidal wave of emotions he felt when the image of his unborn child took shape on the monitor. He felt pride and happiness and most of all he felt an overwhelming sense of love at first sight. He could not stop looking at the tiny image on the screen.

His thoughts were interrupted by the technician.

"The heart beat is strong and there is a great deal of movement. I don't think you have anything to worry about. Your son is strong and healthy." The technician informed him.

"Thank you." Charming said, relieved. As an afterthought he added, "You can tell that it's a boy?" He was surprised.

"I had a fifty/fifty chance. I really need to watch myself better. The position is wrong to determine the gender. Sorry if I got your hopes up." The technician replied in a self-conscious tone.

"No need to apologize." He was in love with this child whether it was a son or a daughter was not going to lessen that love.

"We can wait a while and see if it changes position, but I think they want her back upstairs as soon as possible to run more tests."

The technician was almost apologetic, but he was right. Charming wanted to know what was wrong with his wife. Even if they had to run every test available, multiple times in order to find answers. As if on cue, a nurse appeared to take Snow back upstairs. She too seemed apologetic about performing her task.

"Can I have a minute with her?" He pleaded with the nurse.

"Of course" She told him softly. "Dr. Whale leaves at 6:00 this evening. I am sure that the nurse on duty will let you into her room tonight. We really miss having Mary Margaret around, she was our best volunteer and you were one of the easiest patents we ever had." She gave him a reassuring smile.

"If you stop by my office on the third floor I will run you off copies of the ultrasound." The technician informed him.

He nodded a thank you.

As soon as they were both gone he laid his head on his wife's stomach.

"Well, Snow you have gone and done it again. I am head over heels in love with our child. Don't get me wrong, you are still the love of my life and I love Emma and Henry as well. I cannot raise our family alone though. We need you to come back to us, so please come back." Tears spilled onto her hospital gown.

He leaned over and kissed her, hoping that once again True Love would work its magic and bring her back to her family.


	12. Chapter 12 and 13

It has been a while since I updated and I blame life and responsibilities. I am offering 2 chapters for the price of one this time.

I do not own these characters or their setting. All I claim authorship to are the words written here.

Chapter 12: The Lost Boy

Charming held his breath as he waited for his love to open her eyes and give him one of her heart melting smiles. What seemed like hours passed and nothing happened. His faced scrunched up into a frown.

"Snow, sweetie you need to work with me here." A panicked edge crept into his voice. "True loves kiss is about the only thing I have left. If that does not work, frankly I am all out of ideas." He sighed and continued, "Look I can ask you to come back because I love you and need you and would be lost without you. All of that is true. But it is about more than just the two of us, maybe it always was. This baby needs you, Emma needs her mother and Henry needs his grandma."

He reached out for her hand and laced her fingers through his and leaned over her.

"Let's try this again." He kissed her throwing aguish and fear and love all into the kiss. He rested his hand on her stomach and he could have sworn that he felt a jolt of power shoot through his body. He recognized it as once, it was pure love. He felt it when he woke her in the forest and he felt it when he was on the verge of leaving Storybrooke.

Her eyes fluttered open and she gave him a heart stopping smile.

"It was about time you woke up." He sighed with relief. "I was starting to think maybe I am no longer your True Love."

She tilted her head to one side and gave him a puzzled look.

"Well, I think we had better put that rumor to rest."

She pulled him towards her and kissed him enthusiastically, biting his lower lips playfully in the process.

"Any lingering doubts about the power of true loves kiss?" She asked teasingly.

He thought for a split second.

"I think we need to try again, just to make sure." He leaned over and kissed her again. He could feel her tense in his embrace though.

"What's wrong?" He asked with tender concern in his voice.

"That should be my question," She replied wearily. "Am I in the hospital?" Her eyes filled with concern.

"Yes, but you are fine and so is the baby." He gave her a reassuring smile.

"Did Emma tell you about the baby?" She asked, then before he could answer she continued, "Is Emma okay? Did she find Henry?"

"Emma is fine and she is still looking for Henry." He tried to keep his voice calm.

"We have to find him before Regina finds out he is missing!"

Panic set in and she tried to stand up, but the room spun and her head felt as if it were stuffed with cotton. Fortunately her husband was there to catch her before she fell.

He settled her back on the bed just as the nurse reappeared. A shocked look crossed her face when she saw her patent lying in the hospital bed supported by her husband.

"You are awake?" The nurse asked, staring in disbelief. "Your chart says that you were unresponsive."

"What does that mean?" Snow asked her husband.

"It means that they could not figure out what was wrong with you, or how to help you, so they wrote you off as a lost cause." He answered truthfully. "I, on the other hand, would never give you up as a lost cause.

The nurse looked perturbed, "It is a little more complicated than that. It was based on your BMR and heart rate and brain activity." The nurse noticed that they were completely ignoring her and giving each other an adoring look.

"Maybe I will just go see if I can find the ultrasound technician and see if he can do another ultrasound scan." The nurse backed out of the room.

Snow gave her husband a pout. "You got the see the baby?"

A thousand watt smiled crossed the face of her husband.

"You bet I did and what a gorgeous thing we created. I got to tell you Snow, we are one hell of a baby creating machine. First Emma and now this little guy or girl..." He was almost bouncing off the walls with happiness.

She gave him a serious look.

"So, that means that you couldn't tell if it was a girl or a boy?"

"Our child was being coy." He laughed.

"Good, because I want us to be together when we find out if we are having a boy or a girl." She stated firmly.

He smiled, "That is what I want as well. Snow I cannot wait for you to see this child. If you have the same reaction that I did, you are going to fall in love at first sight."

"I never doubted that. I worry about our other child though." There was worry in her eyes.

"Emma knows about the baby and she doesn't seem too traumatized." He held onto her hand tightly lacing her finger through his.

"Still I would like to do something special for her and Henry on their birthdays." Snow stated.

"We could have a party for the two of them at the diner." Charming suggested.

"I love that idea!" Snow pulled him to her and kissed him quickly. Not because she did not want to linger, but because the ultrasound technician interrupted.

"Let's get started." The technician stated as he walked into the room and started to hook up the machine. "I see our sleeping beauty has awoken."

Snow was about to correct him and point out that Sleeping Beauty was an entirely different person when the image began to form on the monitor.

Snow titled her head and looked puzzled.

"What am I looking at?" She asked.

The technician laughed and was about to answer, but her husband beat him.

He pointed at the screen.

"Look there is the perfect head of our beautiful child and there are the arms and the legs." He excitedly pointed to the screen and it was if by magic, she could see it too. She grasped her husband's hand in her own and wanted to tell him that he was right she was in love with this child, but the words would not come. Snow White had never before been struck speechless, but at that moment the feelings were just too overwhelming. Her husband had a huge grin on his face as he watched the tiny marvel twist and turn to a tune all its own.

"The little thing is being stubborn and refusing to revel if it is a boy or a girl." The technician squinted at the screen.

Charming laughed, "Imagine that, Snow, our child is being stubborn!"

"I think our child is wonderful." She smiled at her husband and held onto his hand a little tighter.

The technician looked at her chart. "Everything seems to be moving along just fine. Dr. Murphy's notes from your clinic visit this morning indicate that he believed the child was conceived about 8 weeks ago?"

"Yes, that sounds about right." Snow nodded her head

"The baby was conceived in the in the room that I was renting above Granny's?" he was actually beaming with pride.

"Yes." She gave her Prince Charming a reassuring look.

"This machine measures the approximant weight and length and judging from those numbers, I would say that you are closer to 12 weeks along."

Snow frowned, "That is impossible. My husband and I were not together 12 weeks ago. That was during the time when we were not together." She stated simply

A guilty look crossed the technician's face. Sometimes, technology gave away more information than it should. Sorting out the problem of paternity was their problem, not his. "Sometimes the machine is wrong." Was all he would the comment he would make.

When the technician was gone, Snow White looked up at her husband and gave him a reassuring smile.

"He is wrong about the date our child was conceived." She insisted.

"Of course he is wrong." Her husband kissed her hand.

His face was unreadable though and that had her concerned.

The nurse came in to take Snow back up to her room.

"I am fine!" She insisted.

"The doctor will need to give you an examination and then sign your discharge papers. It should take an hour or so. You can wait in the hall or comeback for her." The nurse informed Charming.

His wife gave him a questioning look.

"I punched Whale and he banned me from the room." He told her sheepishly.

Snow grinned and gave her husband an adoring look, "He had it coming! Go home and check in with Emma and see if the two of you can figure out a way for us to get Henry back without risking any of our lives!"

Charming kissed his wife goodbye and trying to dismiss the lingering doubts he felt over the information the technician had shared.

Chapter 13 Search Me

Emma was eating a sandwich when Charming got back to the apartment.

"How did it go with Gold, did he have any insights on how we should go about the task of getting back Henry?" He asked as he went to the kitchen to make himself a sandwich.

"He wasn't at his shop, his assistant said to come back in a couple of hours." She answered.

"Since when does Gold have an assistant?" Her father asked.

"She showed up around the time the curse was broken." Emma took another bite of her sandwich.

Charming sat down across from her.

"Did you eat all the Swiss cheese?" He stared at his sandwich with a look of disappointment on his face.

"Sorry, there is American cheese in the side drawer of the fridge." She shrugged.

"I hate American cheese." He grumbled.

"Me too, that is why I ate the Swiss. Any change at the hospital? How is Mary Margaret?" Emma asked.

Charming took a bite of his sandwich and made a face, chewed and swallowed before he answered.

"I kissed her and she woke up. She is going to be fine." He reluctantly ate another bite.

Emma stared at him in shock.

"Is it really that easy for the two of you? One kiss makes everything alright?"

He gave his daughter a thoughtful look.

"Nothing is easy, Emma."

"What's wrong?" She asked with genuine concern in her voice.

"I am thinking about Dr. Whale's suggestion about a DNA test." He said quietly.

Emma looked at him as if he had grown two heads.

"Are you insane? He is trying to mess with your head."

"The technician mentioned that the baby might have been conceived during a time when your mother and I were apart." He pushed aside his sandwich.

"When did this immaculate conception happen?" She asked rolling her eyes and got up from a table. She brought out a pocket calendar and started flipping through the pages.

"12 weeks ago." He reluctantly admitted.

"Impossible, she was not fertile 12 weeks ago. It was 8 weeks ago or not at all." She showed him the calendar with X's on some of the dates.

"You keep track?" He asked in a shocked voice.

"I have been keeping track of my cycle ever since Henry was born. I wanted to make sure that I didn't get any more surprises. The two of us have the same cycle, so I can tell you exactly when she was most likely to get pregnant. The two of you hit the jackpot the day I arrested her."

Emma sat back down across the table from her stunned father.

"Sometimes I don't understand you. The two of you talk about your love as if it were some kind of epic, curse breaking affair and then you turn around and let someone like Whale make you half way believe that you aren't the father of the baby she is carrying. How does that kind of mental whiplash work?" She asked sarcastically.

"I guess when you have something as powerful as what your mother and I share, one or the other of us is always waiting for it to get taken away." He sighed. "I am a shepherd who was lucky enough to marry a princess. I guess a part of me will always wonder if she could have done better."

Emma was stunned.

"You think she cares about your background? I've read the book. She had plenty of chances to find someone else and she kept picking you over and over. I have to admit, I am mystified by it myself, but I wouldn't be around if she had chosen someone else. So I guess I am thankful for the mystery of love."

"Can we not mention this conversation to your mother?" He asked softly.

"As far as I am concerned, I never want to mention this conversation ever again. Although, I now understand what Doc must have felt like when he had to have that conversation with you before I was born" Emma shuddered at the idea.

"Snow told you about that?" He asked in a perturbed tone. "What else did she tell you about our love life?"

"More than any daughter ever needed to know. Let's go pick her up at the hospital and the two of you can discuss it together."

"I had better go make her a sandwich." He got up and headed for the kitchen.

"The last time she had anything to eat was this morning. You had better make six sandwiches." She called after him.

Snow was so happy to be released from the hospital that she practically threw herself into the arms of her husband and daughter the minute they walked through the door.

The nurse insisted that she had to be taken out in a wheelchair, but Snow adamantly refused.

"My family will take care of me." She insisted as she held on tightly to Charming and Emma. "I do not remember there being so many rules when I was a volunteer." She stated when they were free of the imposing building.

"It is a little different when you are a patient." Charming told her firmly. "Are you sure you are up to helping us find Henry. We can take you home if you need to rest." He gave her a concerned look.

"I'm fine, except I'm starving." She replied wistfully.

Her husband grinned broadly. "We thought you might need a snack, so we brought sandwiches."

He held up a bag, which she grabbed eagerly. She sat down on a bench and dug into the bag.

"There was no Swiss cheese, you can blame Emma!" He dead panned.

Their daughter rolled her eyes in mock frustration.

Between bites of her sandwich Snow asked, "What is the plan? I think we should check out Regina first and foremost."

"Regina claims not to know anything about Henry's disappearance." Charming shrugged.

"Do you believe her?" Snow asked.

"Emma does and that is good enough for me." He replied with conviction.

Emma seemed caught off guard by the compliment.

"Where does that leave us?" Snow asked. "We can't follow Henry to Boston. We tried that this morning and the results were disastrous."

"Where it leaves us is in a place that I don't like to be, relying on Gold for answers. Earlier today Emma and Regina went to talk to him, but he was out."

"Then we had better go see if he has returned." Snow stated with determination in her voice.

The three of them stood apprehensive in the door way to Gold's shop.

"What a Charming family." Gold cooed his voice as smooth as silk. "I see one of you is missing?"

"What do you know about Henry's disappearance?" Emma demanded.

"Has the lad wandered off, perhaps you should have kept a better watch over him?" Gold scolded.

"He left a note saying that he was going to Boston." Snow stated.

"Well, that is hardly likely. Unless he sprouted wings and flew there. There have been no cars coming or going today and he hardly could have afforded to call a cab." Gold reminded them.

Snow felt the urge to check on her credit cards.

"He took the bus the last time I went to Boston." Emma stated.

"Belle, Luv, has a bus bound for Boston traveled through town today?" Gold asked the pretty young woman who was standing behind the counter.

She sighed and answered, "No and I should know because I have been staring out the window for hours. This town is so boring!" She pouted.

Gold ignored her tirade.

"There you have it, straight from the mouth of the lovely lady. So, dearies, I believe that leaves us to draw one possible conclusion…"

Snow finished his thought, "Henry never left; He is hiding somewhere."

"Give the lady a prize for deduction." Gold stated with a flourish of his hands.

"We have to find him before Regina does!" Emma stated franticly, echoing the statement made earlier by her mother. She turned and left the shop. Her parents were hot on her heels.

Belle turned to Gold. "I want a baby!" She told him softly.

"How about we get a dog?" He replied.

Outside the pawn shop Emma nearly collided with Regina. The latter waved a piece of paper in her face.

"I was on my way down to the courthouse to file this." Regina coolly informed her.

"Regina, we don't have time for games." Emma sighed.

"I assure you that I am not playing games. This document relieves you of custody of Henry on the grounds of sever neglect." The evil queen smirked.

"We have not neglected Henry!" Snow stated through gritted teeth.

"Then you know where my son is at this very moment?" She asked sarcastically.

"Of course we know where he is, "Charming lied. "We are on our way to pick him up right now. If you file that document and then we present Henry to the judge, you are going to look foolish." Now Charming smirked.

Regina eyed him with suspicion. "I am in a good mood and the important thing is getting Henry back safe. If you show up with him at Granny's in two hours, than I am willing to forget that any of this happened.

When she was gone, Charming turned to his wife and daughter.

"Emma find Red and the two of you search the North woods. Snow and I will talk to team 7 and Granny and have them search in town and then the two of us will search the South woods. We will find him, Emma."

She didn't seem convinced. "How can you be sure?"

"It's what we are best at doing!" Snow reminded her with conviction in her voice.

She gave her daughter a reassuring hug and followed Charming to his truck.


	13. Chapter 14 Search and Rescue

I am starting to go through major Snowing and Clan Charming withdraws! At least I can still write about them and read about them here. As usual, a big thanks to all of my loyal readers and followers.

Chapter 14 Search and Rescue

They decided to meet at Granny's Diner and form a plan. All of their friends showed up to help in the search. Much to Emma's surprise, her father had taken command and was organizing the search.

"Emma, you and Red start at the cave and move north from there. Archie, you and Marco can search along the city boundary; do not get too close though. We still are not sure what happens if someone tries to leave. Snow and I will start at the cabin and work south. Granny you and Team 7 check the mine and town. Blue has offered the sisters as reinforcements if you need extra eyes."

He handed out maps, flashlights and two-way radios to each group.

"Cell phone coverage can be spotty, so we will stay in touch by radio. Be careful all of you. The last time that Henry ran away he went to the mines and got himself into a dangerous situation. He may be in trouble again. If you find yourself in any kind of doubtful situation, call for back up before proceeding. Regina gave us two hours to find Henry. That does not seem like much time, but we can do this if we work together."

He received a mummer of agreement from the crowd.

Emma found herself watching him with growing admiration.

"He is good at this." She commented under her breath.

"You bet he is," Grumpy answered, "I could care less about the fact that he was raised on a farm. That guy is a natural leader." The dwarf went to join his brothers and Granny to review tactics.

Emma silently found herself agreeing.

Red and Snow were packing up box lunches to send along with the search parties.

"I want to have a party later this week to celebrate Henry and Emma's birthdays and I would like to have it here." Snow told her friend.

Red was always surprised at how positive her best friend was. It did not even occur to Snow that they might not find Henry or that Emma might lose him to Regina. She was already looking to the future and making plans.

"Of course, Granny and I would love for you to have the party here. Let us know what we can do to help." Red gave her friend a reassuring smile.

Emma glanced at her father and saddled over to her mother.

"Can we talk?" She asked Snow.

"Always!" She stopped what she was doing and gave her full attention to her daughter.

Red realized that Emma wanted to speak to her mother alone and excused herself, I need to go to the basement and bring up a case of bottled water for the lunches."

"David, go and help her!" Emma instructed. She waited until her father was out of earshot and turned to her mother. "Is there any chance that he is not the father of your child?" She asked seriously.

Snow gave her a shocked look and wondered if her daughter was joking.

"Who else could be the father?" She asked under her breath.

"Could Dr. Whale be the father?" She asked winching with guilt.

Snow's eyes grew large with surprise. "Has someone been spreading rumors? Because there is no way that anyone other than Charming could be the father of this child! I thought we had settled this subject?" She started to angrily wrap sandwiches.

"While you were in the hospital Whale tried to get Dad, I mean David all riled up by suggesting that a DNA test might be in order."

Snow continued you look shocked, but now sadness crept into her eyes.

"Did your father take Whale seriously?" She asked sadly.

"I don't think he did at the time know. I showed how impossible it was and I think he believed me." Emma did not seem convinced.

"Then the technician told us that the baby had possibly been conceived while we were fighting and that raised doubts in his mind?"

"It probably didn't help, but those machines are not accurate when it comes to figuring out how far along you are in a pregnancy." Emma quantified.

"Did you tell your father that?" Snow inquired.

"No, he seems to be a little insecure. He thinks he isn't good enough for you. You have to expect something along those lines. You two have been apart for 28 years after all, there are bound to be a few speed bumps in your relationship. I am a little surprised that things have been going so well for the two of you." Emma Shrugged

"I guess he and I need to have a talk." Snows voice trailed off as her husband returned with a case of water. He looked between his daughter and his wife.

"Is something wrong?" He asked.

"Everything is fine." Snow stated and gave him a forced smile.

"Have you heard some news about Henry?" He asked anxiously.

"No and they say no news is good news." Emma answered.

He turned to the group, "Pick up a box lunch and bottle of water on your way out the door. I always say that an arm marches on its stomach!"

"It was Napoleon who said that!" Emma corrected.

"Who?" Her father asked innocently.

The bell jingled over the door to Gold's pawn shop and he looked up to see King George standing in front of the counter.

"To what do I owe the honor of this visit, your majesty?" He asked in a somewhat biting tone.

There was no really problem between the two of them, but Gold always felt that the King lacked finesse and he often found himself rooting for True Love over Tyranny. Still, if George came to him with a proposition that favored both their sides, Gold was not about to turn down an alliance.

"This is about that spineless creation you gave me to replace my dead son."

"Sorry, no refunds just because it turned out that the boy possessed free will and followed his own heart." Gold turned towards the back of his shop.

"I'm not here to talk about the past. I am more interested in the future. He is going to have another child and I want his baby for myself." George pounded a fist on the counter.

Gold winched but thought for a moment.

"They were in here earlier and I sensed a great power in the child. I doubt that you would know how to harness that type of raw power. Perhaps we can work out a deal whereby I raise the child until a certain age. I will then allow you to take over and raise the child as an heir or whatever you desire."

"I take it you have a plan to get the child?" George asked with interest.

"What that boy of yours needs is a distraction." Gold placed his hands together fingertip to fingertip in contemplation.

"Are you suggesting a woman?" George laughed rudely.

"That is precisely what I am suggesting." Gold nearly cackled with energy.

"Useless, he is so hypnotized by that Siren Snow White that he will hardly look at another woman." George scoffed.

"I am not suggesting an ordinary woman. The female I have in mind has a face that has launched a thousand wars. This woman has the ability to seduce him with two things he will not be able to resist, the chance to lead and raw elemental power."

"That might just work." George agreed.

Charming looked over at his wife, who was silently seated next to him in his truck. She was clearly deep in thought and he at once recognized the look of worry in her eyes.

"Snow, what's wrong." He asked with loving concern in his voice.

"This baby is yours!" She snapped at him, her eyes blazing with anger.

He was slightly taken aback by her tone.

"Of course the baby is mine. Who suggested otherwise?" He quickly glanced over at her.

"Emma told me that you wanted a DNA test?" She asked impatiently.

He frowned, "Emma was supposed to keep that conversation to herself."

"She felt like it is something we need to talk about!" She shot back. "How could you even entertain such a ridiculous notion?" She frowned again.

"I'm sorry; it was a moment of insanity and it was stupid." He said softly. A guilty look crossed his face.

"It was stupid and insulting and I am going to tell you exactly why. After we got together as David and Mary Margaret, you spoiled me for other men!" She shot him an angry look.

"What are you talking about?" He asked, giving her a puzzled look.

"This is probably not the type of thing that any man should ever be told, but after being with you, I couldn't even imagine being with anyone else. Every other guy I looked at failed to turn me on. If Emma hadn't broken the curse, I probably would have ended up becoming a nun!"

He started to laugh.

"It isn't funny!" She scolded. "It is a serious problem because if you ever leave me, I would never be able to be with another man and I happen to like having sex!"

"I never intend to leave you, Snow. I was laughing because I feel the same way about you and you know I love having sex, but only with you."

"So, no DNA test will be performed on our offspring!" She demanded with her arms crossed in defiance.

"I am so glad that is settled!" He stated happily.

"Now, we can discuss why you think that you are not good enough to be my husband!" She shot him another perturbed look.

"Wow! Emma is quite the little tattle tale!" He frowned again.

"She is finally starting to look out for you! How can you even doubt that you are the love of my life, my soul mate and the only man I could ever love? You were the first person who has ever loved me unconditionally. You accept me, despite my faults. You accept my strange friends and believe me they are strange. Your support is unwavering, except when we were under the curse, but that is understandable because you were not yourself!"

He was speechless. Finally he swallowed hard and said, "I never thought about it, but your friends are kind of strange." He stated dryly.

She looked over at him and wondered if he was serious. It was exactly what was needed to break the tension. They both cracked up laughing. They had pulled up to the cabin and he leaned over and kissed her on the top of the head.

"I love you and I need you." He whispered.

"Just remember that when you start getting crazy ideas." She smiled at him lovingly. "Insecurity does not become you my darling. You are much better at taking charge and exuding confidence." She kissed him on the cheek. "Emma slipped and called you dad." She stated.

"Wow!" He smiled.

Snow had not been to the cabin in several weeks and she was amazed at how much renovation work had been completed in such a short amount of time. Most of the framing was complete and the rooms were discernible.

"Do you think that it is possible that Henry is here?" Snow asked with concern in her voice.

"It is doubtful that he would come here if he really is intent on hiding from us, but we have to check everywhere." He husband answered in a disheartened voice.

The 7 Dwarfs and Granny stood on the porch of an abandoned house on the edge of town. They had finished checking the mines and had found no trace of Henry. The nuns had agreed to go door to door and find out if any of the neighbors had seen the boy.

No one wanted to go in the abandon house though.

"I am not going in there!" Grumpy insisted. His brothers nodded their heads in agreement.

"Oh for pity's sake it is not any darker or more frightening than the mine!" Granny scolded.

"There might be wild animals in there!" Doc insisted.

"Or Henry might be in there and he might be hurt!" Granny countered as she grabbed the flashlight and charged through the door.

"Are we going to let a little old lady show us up?" Grumpy asked the others."

"We sure are," Sneezy informed him, "There is probably dust in there and you know how allergic I am to dust!" He sneezed for effect.

"Well, I am not letting her go in there alone!" Grumpy finally stated. He grabbed another flashlight and followed Granny into the unknown.

Red and Emma stood outside of the cave where the family treasure was safe and secure.

"How much time do we have left?" Red asked.

Emma looked at her watch. "About an hour, give or take a few minutes. Can you find any trace of Henry?"

"I think he was here recently." Red stated with a hint of uncertainty.

Emma kicked at some leaves. "He was defiantly here." She picked up an empty Apollo candy bar wrapper. "The question remains, where is he now?"

"I don't know, but someone was with him. There are a set of boot prints over here along with some sneaker prints that probably belong to Henry." Red pointed to a path. "I wonder where the path leads."

A perturbed look crossed Emma's face. "I know exactly where the path goes!" She pulled out the two- way radio and called her parents.

"Emma and Ruby requesting back-up!" She informed them.

"Emma, what's wrong?" She could hear a note of panic in her mother's voice.

"Hopefully nothing is wrong, but can you and David meet us at 1515 Sycamore Lane? I am pretty sure that is where we will find Henry."

"Do not go in there alone!" Snow demanded. "Wait for us outside the gate!"

"I am pretty sure he is harmless." Emma sighed, "But we will wait for the two of you to arrive anyway."

Charming turned to Snow.

"Who lives at that address?" He asked, bewildered.

"Jefferson lives at that address!"

"The Mad Hatter may have Henry?" Her husband seemed alarmed and he rushed out of the cabin and to the truck. Snow followed closely on his heels. She look back at the cabin and deiced she was going to like living there. Castles were over rated. They were dark and drafty and hard to keep clean. She would take a beautiful lakeside house over a castle any day. As long as she had her family surrounding her, she could be happy anywhere.


	14. Chapter 15 Birthday Girl and Boy

Chapter 15 Birthday Boy and Girl

Snow and Charming stood outside the gate that separated Jefferson's palatial mansion from the rest of Storybrooke.

"He seems to have been living a comfortable life, in spite of the curse." Charming stated with composure.

"Looks can be deceiving; his curse was to be separated from his daughter, Grace." Snow remarked causally to her husband.

"We should form a club." Charming replied dryly.

"The catch was that he remembered her!" She replied.

Understanding dawned on the face of her husband.

"Even for Regina that is pretty harsh. I wonder what he did to piss off her off to that extent."

"I have no idea, but they are not friends." Snow replied.

"Is he dangerous?" Charming asked.

"Emma doesn't think so, but he did kidnap me and tie me up and hold me prisoner in order to lure Emma here. Then he drugged her and forced her into manual labor." Snow shrugged.

"At the very least he seems unstable." Her husband sighed.

"There is more, Emma and I ran into him this morning while we were at a tea shop. It might have been a chance encounter, but somehow I doubt he was there by accident."

Anger surged through Charming.

"There is a good chance that he had something to do with the accident that you and Emma had. He has kidnaped my wife and daughter and threatened my unborn child, twice. Once when he kidnapped you, because you were already pregnant, and again today when he drugged you and Emma. I am going to walk up to his door, knock and when he opens the door, I am going to kick his ass into another realm!"

"I already did that," Snow countered, "He came back!" he said wearily.

Her husband gave her a puzzled look.

"He threatened Emma, so I kicked him out of a second story window." She stated under her breath.

Her husband gave her a look of loving adoration.

"Snow White, you are my Queen!" he smiled.

"Not anymore." She sighed.

"You will always be my Queen! Now let's go and take back our grandson!" He started for the door just as Emma and Red arrived. The four of them approached the front door and knock.

Jefferson opens the door with a flourish and looks each of the four visitors over. A puzzled look crossed his face when he saw Snow.

He raised an eyebrow, "Have you lost another dog?" He sarcastically asked Emma.

Charming grabbed Jefferson by the collar and shook him.

"Where is Henry?"

Jefferson gasped for air and tried to form the words to answer the question put forth by the prince.

"I think you need to let go so he can answer." Emma informed her father.

Charming let go of Jefferson, but the man still refused to say a word.

"Do you have my son?" Emma asked impatiently.

"I do not know what you are talking about." He answered innocently.

It was more than the prince could take. Charming lunged at him and knocked the hatter to the floor.

"What is your problem?" Jefferson asked with a strained voice.

"As if repeatedly kidnapping and holding my family hostage is not enough, you have endangered my unborn child twice. Most recently, with whatever drug you gave my wife." He angrily replied.

Red and Emma had pulled the two men apart and Red helped Jefferson to his feet.

He was rubbing his neck. "I didn't drug them, this time," He qualified, "It was hypnosis. I would like to know, how did you break though it?" He asked with a puzzled look on his face.

"He kissed her." Emma pointed between her parents.

"That should not have worked. It wasn't a curse!" Jefferson admitted with an equally bewildered look on his face.

"You clearly don't know them very well." Emma answered sarcastically.

"I had no idea that she was pregnant." He stated repentantly, as he continued to rub his soar neck.

"All of that is neither here nor there," Emma stated as she looked at her watch, "Regina is going to file papers to have Henry taken away from me unless we show up with him in tow at Granny's in 20 minutes!" She stated with agitation in her voice.

Jefferson looked up the stairs, "Regina is going to take Henry away from you?" He asked with concern in his voice.

"She is ready to file the papers as we speak." Snow informed him.

Jefferson ran a hand through his already tousled hair and looked slightly panicked. "Do you hear that kid? Get down here, the jig is up!" He called up the stairs

Henry cautiously walked down the stairs. Emma ran to him and enveloped him in a massive hug.

"Are you alright? Did he hurt you?" She asked.

Snow stood there with her mouth agape in shock. "So, you did have him? Did Regina ask you to take Henry? She asked with suspicion in her voice.

"No, I asked him to help me hide so that you would have to look for me and it would bring us all together as a family." Henry insisted with his head hung low. Shame and regret were written on his face.

"Why didn't you come and talk to us?" Charming asked sternly.

"He tried to talk to me this morning, but I was preoccupied." Snow admitted with a look of guilt in her eyes.

"This is not your fault," Emma told her mother, "Henry you are in so much trouble. Something could have happen to you and you could have been seriously hurt. Regina was ready to file papers to get permanent custody of you." Emma was trying to control her anger.

"Here, you can have the ring back." Jefferson handed a gold ring to Henry.

"Is that what you were doing at the cave?" Emma asked, disappointed, "Raiding the family treasure in order to hire someone to kidnap you was a bad idea." She scolded.

"It was payment for his part in the plan." Henry admitted shrugging his shoulders.

"Why did you leave a note telling us you were going to Boston?" Snow asked.

"It was the first place that came to mind. Are you really having another baby?" He asked.

"We sure are." Charming smiled.

"Cool! I will be older than my uncle or aunt!" He exclaimed.

"So, stop worrying about us not being a family." Charming warned.

"You are going to be grounded until your aunt or uncle is twice your age." Emma warned. Then she turned to Jefferson, "I am still the sheriff, give me one good reason why I shouldn't haul your butt down to the jail and charge you with kidnapping?" She glared at him.

"Please don't arrest him!" Henry pleaded. "He knows what it is like to want to be with his family. He just wants his daughter back. If you arrest him for kidnaping he will never get to see Grace again!"

Emma looked as if she wasn't sure.

"Emma, you don't have time for this right now," Her father reminded her, "You need to get Henry back to the diner. We will handle Jefferson. As long as his daughter is in Storybrooke, he isn't going anywhere. " Her father assured her.

Emma took one last look at Jefferson before she escorted Henry towards the door.

"Are you hungry kid? I can call ahead and order you a burger?" Emma asked.

"Can you order me one too?" Snow asked.

"What about the sack lunches we brought with us?" Her husband asked.

"Oh I ate those while you stopped to fill the truck up with gas." She admitted.

He gave her a look of surprise, followed by resignation.

"I think I know why the ultrasound tech thought you were 4 extra weeks along in the pregnancy." He stated reluctantly. "Emma, order one for me as well, with Swiss cheese and no pickles!"

Henry stopped in front of his grandfather. "Gramps, please help him get his daughter back! He pleaded.

"I don't know what I can do." His grandfather said softly.

"You are Prince Charming, people listen to what you have to say and they trust your judgment." He insisted as Emma pulled him out the door. Red glanced back at her friends and followed Emma and Henry.

Charming turned to Jefferson "We will help you get Grace back from her adoptive parents." He informed the hatter.

"We will?" Snow asked giving her husband a concerned look.

"Snow, we are not leaders by birth, at least I was not born to greatness. I got where I am by earning the trust and allegiance of my people. I owe it to them to serve and protect them as to the best of my ability."

"Maybe that was true in the Enchanted Forest, but there are laws here that we must follow." She reminded him.

"I am not thinking about the written law, I am thinking of natural law. If I was in his place, I would want a champion to help me reunite with Emma." There was conviction in his voice and it moved Snow White greatly. She had not looked at the situation in those terms. Right now Jefferson was no longer a kidnaper, he was a man who needed help being reunited with his family. That was what made Charming a great leader. He could see past his own personal feelings and put the needs of others first. He was correct when he stated that he had not been born a leader or a prince. Both were roles he had grown into and it was a big reason why she fell deeply in love with him over and over.

"Plus I strongly suspect that it is the quickest way to put an end to his run-ins with Emma!" He added under his breath.

"We will help in any way possible!" Snow added her promise to the word of her husband.

When they arrived back at the diner Henry was sitting at the counter eating a burger. Emma was sitting in a booth. Regina was nowhere to be seen, but King George was sulking in a corner.

Snow went to check on their order. Charming slid into the booth seat across from Emma. She still refused to sit at a certain table, which amused him to no end.

"How did it go with Regina?" He asked anxiously.

"Fine, she was surprised that we found Henry in the length of time she allotted, but she seemed glad that he was safe." Emma told him. "What happen with Jefferson?"

Charming swiped a fry off of her plate and gave her a serious look before answering in a serious tone, "I clobbered him over the head and your mother and I buried his body behind his mansion." He slowly chewed the fry, swallowed and waited for her reaction.

Calmly she replied, "You do know that as sheriff, I am going to have to arrest you for that."

"We agreed to help him get his daughter back." He added honestly. "We are going to set up a meeting between him and the couple who is raising Grace."

"Do you think talking will help?" Emma asked.

"If they were subjects of Snow and my kingdom, we may have some influence over their decisions, otherwise, I might have to beat them into submission." He watched her reaction carefully.

"What?" She asked suspiciously.

"I am just wondering how far you are willing to let me go to help him." He father answered.

"I thought that you had already decided to help him. What does any of it have to do with me?"

"He likes you." Her father answered simply.

"Really, what makes you think that he has any interest in me?" Emma tried to pretend that she had no idea what her father was talking about.

"He could have used Henry as leverage to make us help him get his daughter back. Instead, he ended the ruse when he realized that it might cost you're your son. I recognize blind devotion when I see it. I am trying to figure out how I feel about his devotion being directed at you." Charming told her.

"I don't know that it is your call." She causally informed him.

"I'm your father; it gives me license to be concerned. However there is something else we need to discuss.

"You mean, besides my lack of a love life?" She sighed heavily. "What is on your mind?"

"Emma, I have a favor to ask. I want to marry your mother." He stated with confidence

Emma looked at him as if he had grown two heads.

"A little late for that, don't you think?" She smirked.

"I know we already married in our kingdom, but I want to be married to her here so that no one can ever ban me from her hospital room or challenge me as her husband. She reminded me today that we have to live by the laws of this world and marriage is one of those laws" He gave her an earnest look.

"Are you asking for my blessing?" Emma asked, confused.

"Of course we want your blessing. I also was wondering if you could check around and see if there is any record of the marriage between David and Kathryn. I want to marry your mother as soon as possible."

Emma gave titled her head and looked at him closely. Sincerity was written on his face. He wanted to do right by her mother and that impressed her a great deal.

"Sure, I will see what I can find out. Right now, I need to go make sure that Henry does not order that hot fudge sundae he has been eyeing." She slipped out of the booth.

Charming looked up to see King George looming over him like an albatross.

"You lost again your majesty. Good won out today and Henry is staying with Emma." He said with confidence in his voice.

"You will slip up sooner or later and your whole world is going to collapse and I plan on being front and center when that happens." He actually glared.

"I am not worried." Charming insisted.

I hear that congratulations are in order, you are having another child." George smirked.

"Stay away from my family!" Charming warned him angrily.

George walked off without saying another word. He looked towards Snow.

"I have no interest in your family, except for that child she is carrying. That child will be mine!" He stated to no one in particular.

He and Gold had a plan, one that might take a month or two to come to into play. But once the plan was set in motion, there would be no way to stop it. By the time that Charming realized what they were up to, he would have lost his wife, his family and his precious reputation. Most important, that little life currently being sustained on a steady diet of burgers and milk shakes would belong to King George. His revenge would be sweet.

Snow spent the rest of the week obsessing about the party for Henry and Emma. She wanted to make sure that every detail was perfect. The one thing that she could not control though was the fact that Regina was on the guest list. Henry had practically begged to have his adopted mother included in the celebration. After all, the woman had been present for all ten of his other birthdays. Snow had reluctantly agreed to allow her to be present. Regina in turn had agreed to ignore the restraining order for a couple of hours. However, as Regina crossed the diner floor, complete with a wrapped gift in hand, Snow wondered if she had made a big mistake.

"Henry, Happy Birthday!" Regina placed the wrapped gift in front of the boy. His eyes lit up and that made it all worth it as far as Snow was concerned.

"Thank you!" He replied as he tore into the wrapping covering the gift.

"It is a magic book." Regina announced.

Snow and Emma exchanged nervous glances.

"I would prefer that Henry not have a book of spells." Emma informed the boy's co-parent. There was a chill in her voice.

Henry seemed to be afraid to touch the book.

"It is not a book of spells," Regina corrected, "It is a book that is animated through magic."

She opened the book to the first page and showed them.

Snow smiled "That is when Charming and I first met." Snow watched mesmerized as the epic story of their first meeting played out before her eyes with life-like realism. The banter was there, as was the respect and love that had been nurtured for nearly three decades.

"The book tells the story of your love." Regina nearly choked on the words.

"I love it!" Henry hugged his adoptive mother.

Snow gave the queen a puzzled look. "It is a lovely book, but it must have been difficult for you to make?"

"You have no idea!" Regina snorted. "I used some of that left over love potion that Gold had, the one that he made with a piece of hair from each of you. There was a drop or two left in the bottle after he used most of it to bring magic to this land. I had to use hazmat gloves to make sure I didn't get any of the vial stuff on my hands."

"Oh!" Emma said.

"I thought Henry would like it though." She shrugged.

Snow frowned in contemplation." I thought Gold dropped the bottle of true love down the well in order to bring magic to this land?"

"That bottle contained the most powerful magic ever created. He saved some in reserve for a rainy day." Regina addressed Snow in the same way that the teacher would address a slow student. Then she turned to the other woman. "Emma I have two gifts for you."

"You don't have to give me anything." Emma stated cautiously.

"Nonsense, it is your birthday too after all. The first gift is that I am not staying for the party." She gave them a smile. Henry was the only one who looked disappointed.

"My second gift is a piece of advice. See that woman who came with Leroy? Keep an eye on her. I have crossed paths with her before in another land. Her name is Jasmine and she is a confirmed man eater."

Regina gave henry a hug and told him that she would see him the next day for their scheduled visitation time and she left.

Snow looked over at the woman whom Regina had just warned them about. She was petite, had long dark hair that she wore loose down her back. She had very pale skin and a face that was somewhat exotic. She was standing beside Grumpy, who was introducing her to Charming. Was she flirting with Charming or had Regina made her paranoid? The woman was smiling at him, but that was being polite. Snow's jaw dropped open when the woman reached up and put her hand on the arm of the prince. When she saw the woman start to caress the arm of her husband, she quickly ran across the room and possessively pulled Charming away from the woman's grasp. Her husband seemed not to have noticed the attempted seduction because he was too busy looking at the clock above the counter.

"Dear, you really will not believe what Regina gave Henry." She told her husband with enthusiasm. "It is a book that tells our love story."

"That's nice." He replied stoically.

She gave him a perturbed look and elbowed him in the ribs. Through gritted teeth she asked, "You do remember our love story? An epic tale filled with memorable moments where you always find me and our love endures a 28 year curse?"

Grumpy and Jasmine exchanged a strange look.

"Snow, I am glad you are here. You should probably hear the plan Jasmine and I have devised." Grumpy informed her.

Snow gave him an insincere smile. "Nothing would make me happier." She possessively looped her arm through the arm of her husband.

"As you well know, Regina has always been mayor because she has always run unopposed. We think it is time that changed. We want you to run against her!" Grumpy pointed at Charming who seemed shocked by the whole idea.

"I think Snow would be a much better choice!" Charming insisted.

Grumpy scowled at him, "What kind of man would thrust his pregnant wife into the political arena with Regina as an opponent!" His voice rang with disappointment and disgust.

Charming had to admit that Grumpy had a valid point.

Charming looked down at his beautiful wife by his side.

"Right now, my family is my number one priority. I want to spend as much time with them as possible. I am not sure I have the time to spare on a political campaign." He stated confidently.

"That is the beauty of it! Jasmine will run the whole thing for you. All you have to do is show up and take the keys to the city from Regina. It is past time this town was rescued from the tyranny of that woman!" Grumpy informed him firmly.

"I'll think about it." Charming sighed.

Jasmine held out her hand to the Prince and he took it reluctantly.

"I have to run right now and write up some press releases. It was good to meet you though. I hope we will be working very closely together soon." She turned to leave and Snow realized that Jasmine was very petite. In fact, she was wearing 4 inch heels. Snow found herself wishing that the young woman would fall and break her neck.

"Where on earth did you find Jasmine?" Snow asked her friend through gritted teeth.

"I met her at a bar, a couple of nights ago." He stated with pride.

"Whose idea was it to have Charming run for mayor?" She asked.

"Well, Jasmine suggested it, but a lot of us have been thinking about it ever since the curse was broken. She has been mayor for 28 years. It is time that this town had a change in regime!"

Charming was still glancing at the clock.

He pulled Snow aside. "We need to go!" He insisted franticly.

"Charming, we can't just leave the party. What would Emma and henry think?" Snow gave him a concerned look.

"We are taking them with us!" He informed his wife.

She looked around the room and failed to see any kind of threat.

"What is this about?" She asked him with a note of concern in her voice.

"It's about their presents." He finally admitted. "They were too big to wrap and they would not have stood still anyway."

A smile crossed the face of his wife and she asked excitedly, "Did you get them horses?"

He nodded his head in the affirmative.

"I thought we could all go out ridding, we can take the horses out anytime we want, but the stable owner insists that they be back by 8:00 pm every night." He glanced at the clock again.

"That is why you have had your eye on the clock all afternoon?" She asked, tiling her head and giving him a loving look.

"Yes, I thought we would have plenty of time, but this party is acting as if it is going to go on all night." He groaned.

"Wait a minute; you are going to let me ride a horse?" Snow gave him an amused look.

"Of course you can ride a horse." He answered in a mater-of-fact tone. I smile lit up his eyes. "I love watching you on a horse."

"You forbid me from riding the last time I was pregnant." She teased.

"I am much more enlightened now!" He insisted.

"Charming, do you remember the first time we ever rode a horse together?" She asked him shyly as her eyes sparkled.

"Of course I do," He smiled at the memory, "It was on the way to the Troll Bridge."

"That is the day I fell in love with you while I stared at the back of your neck." Snow laughed.

"I thought it was my wicked swordsmanship, bravery and heroic stance against the Queen's guards that made you fall in love?" He gave her a teasing look.

"No, I fell in love with you on the way to the Troll Bridge." She smiled at him and his heart melted. He wondered if that was what made him fall in love with her? No, it was the fact that she possessed a look before you leap bravery that he admired and to a certain extent even envied.

"What did I do on that legendary journey that rendered your heart mine?"

"You talked to the horse. You encouraged it and complemented it all the way to the bridge." She grinned at the memory.

"I am so glad that I was too flustered to carry on a conversation with the drop dead gorgeous woman riding with me with whom I had fallen madly in love. I had to talk to the horse in order to distract you otherwise you might have noticed that we took the long way that day. " He laughed.

"You can tell a lot about a man by the way he treats his horse." Snow stood on her tip toes and kissed him on the cheek. "I right about you that day, but I have a confession to make about that day as well. After the Troll Bridge, I took the long way back to the castle I could spend as much time as possible with the man with whom I was falling deeply in love."

They both sighed and smiled at the memory.

Snow looked at the clock. "We should get Henry and Emma and go for that ride."

"Right, you convince them to leave and I will go get the car." He husband told her.

As he walked out the door of the diner and she went to go get their daughter and grandson, the thought occurred to Charming that the two of them made a nearly unbeatable team.


	15. Chapter 16 Every Girl Wants a Horse

I own nothing except the words and ideas below. The characters are not mine.

Authors Note: In case anyone had lingering doubts, Charming is the father of the baby Snow is carrying. It is a True Love baby just like sister Emma and that makes it extremely powerful. Even before it is born it will have the power to protect its mother when she is in danger in a future chapter.

Chapter 16: Every Girl Wants a Pony

Emma watched the road as her father drove her car to an unknown location. She was sitting in the front seat with her dad and Henry and her mom were sitting in the backseat. Henry had a grin as wide as the Grand Canyon plastered across his face. He loved the family moments. Emma tried to think back and figure out when exactly they had become a family.

"Where exactly are we going?" Emma asked with concern in her voice.

Charming looked in the rearview mirror and exchanged a look with his wife.

"It is a surprise." Her mother smiled.

"I love surprises!" Henry beamed.

"Well I don't like surprises," Emma stated dryly, "When I was a child surprises were never good."

"Well, you with us now and from now on that is going to change." Her mother promised.

"Besides we are here." Her father announced.

Emma looked around. There was a nondescript wooden building.

"Where exactly is here?" Emma asked.

"Horse stables." Her father answered.

Of course if she had just opened the car door, she would have had her answer. When she did open the car door, she was overwhelmed by the smell of horses and she had no doubt in her mind that they really were at a stable.

"I had no idea that there were horses in Storybrooke?" She commented.

"This place is much bigger than you would expect. I thought it would be nice if we went horseback riding as a family." He told Emma and Henry as the latter bolted from the backseat and ran towards the stables.

Emma raised a skeptic eyebrow and indicated her mother. "She's pregnant." Emma reminded him a fact that he did not need to be reminded.

"She can ride a horse, even though she is pregnant." He causally informed their daughter.

Emma exchanged a look with her mother and climbed out of the car and followed Henry.

"If you say so

Charming called back, "Are you coming, Snow?"

"I can't get out of the back seat." She informed him through gritted teeth. This caused him to laugh.

"It isn't funny. Unless you want me to give birth in the back seat of this car, right now, at 9 weeks instead of 9 months, you will find a dignified way to get me out of this car, Charming!" The way she spat out his name made it sound as if she thought he was anything but charming at the moment. In fact, it was almost a curse.

He just grinned and scooped her up in his arms and carried her out of the car. He placed her standing up on the ground.

"Is that dignified enough?" He asked in a teasing tone.

"It will have to do." She pretended to be perturbed and took his hand in hers as they followed Emma and Henry.

Emma gave them a perplexed look when they walked in holding hands with grins on their faces.

"What took you guys so long?" Henry asked with all the patience of an excited 11 year old.

His grandparents exchanged a charged look.

"We were experiencing technical difficulties." Charming informed them with a straight face.

Emma rolled her eyes, "Considering the source, you should probably spare us the details."

Charming was about to profess innocence.

"Which horses are we going to ride?" Henry asked excitedly.

"Well that one over there belongs to you." His grandfather pointed to a grey charger.

"You bought my son a horse without asking me first?" Emma scolded lightly.

"Please can I keep him?" Henry pleaded.

Emma gave her father a perturbed look and then turned to her son. "Sure, but just so you aren't disappointed. All I got you for your birthday was a bed spread and a new video game. Magic books and horses are a little out of my league." She gave her father another weary look.

"Well I could hardly ask your permission without giving away the fact that you were getting one as well." He indicated a brown mare in the stall next to the grey horse.

"You bought me a horse?" She asked with an awe struck look on her face.

Her father smiled warmly. "Doesn't every girl want a pony for her birthday?"

Before she could answer her mother asked, "Have you ridden before, Emma?"

"As a matter of fact, I worked as a mounted officer for a few months when I was young." She answered causally.

"Good then, Henry can ride with you until he learns the ropes. Snow and I will ride his steed." Charming informed her.

"Come on kid, let's go over here and I will show you how to saddle a horse." Emma led Henry to the tack room where the saddles were kept.

"You didn't get me a horse as well?" Snow pouted.

"It isn't your birthday, dear." He dryly remarked. She still looked disappointed. "Besides, I would like to spend some time with my gorgeous wife." He said softly.

"That is a given." She replied, smiling slightly.

"I want you to wrap your arms around me, and spend quality time looking at my neck." He added jokingly.

"How quickly can you saddle the horse?" She asked impatiently.

He laughed. Emma walked up with an apologetic look on her face.

"I had just started to explain basic horse care to Henry when he fell asleep," She told them while cringing; "I think I bored him to death."

"More than likely, he came down off of his sugar high from all that cake and ice cream he had at the birthday party." Her mother suggested.

"You are probably right," Emma agreed, "Anyway, I think I should take him home and put him to bed early. " She gave them an apologetic look. "I know you were looking forward to going riding together."

"Not if it means that Henry falls asleep on the horse." Her father admitted reluctantly.

"I want the two of you to stay and ride though. I'll take Henry home and come back for the two of you in a couple of hours." She suggested brightly.

Her parents exchanged an understanding look.

"Emma, it is your birthday and we wanted to spend it with your and Henry." Her mother insisted.

"You did spend it with me and it was the best birthday I ever remember having. Thank you both" She was sincere in her complement and that sincerity moved both her parents.

"Are you sure you don't want us to come with you?" Her mother asked.

"I am positive that you two should stay here and relax. You both worked hard on the party." She insisted.

"I'll help you with Henry." Her father offered and she gladly accepted.

"I really am sorry that we didn't get to go riding." Emma told him as he gathered up Henry, who was fast asleep, in his arms. Maybe you and I could go riding together sometime next week?" Emma suggested.

Charming smiled, "I would like that very much." He told her happily.

He helped her getting the sleeping child into the car and watched as she drove off. He was about to walk back in when his phone received a text message. He didn't recognize the number, but he read the message.

"Would love to meet tonight and go over your campaign strategy. 8:30 pm the Rabbit Hole? Jasmine."

He looked over at the stables where Snow was waiting for him and then he glanced towards the road where Emma had just driven off. He could call Emma and have her come back and go to the Rabbit Hole. Part of him was curious about what exactly running for mayor would entail. His hand hovered over Emma's number. Then he impulsively texted Jasmine back, "Busy tonight. Will be working the cabin by the lake tomorrow morning. Drop by if you have the time. David."

Her reply was instant, "I'll bring coffee and pastries. I weld a mean hammer. Looking forward to working with you."

He smiled despite himself. She was certainly tenacious, if she handled his mayoral campaign with the same tenacity, he might just win. Listening to her plan was the least he could do. He was still smiling when he went back into the stable.

"You look happy," Snow commented and then she saw that he had his phone in his hand, "Were you talking to someone?"

"It was no one important." He insisted as he turned off the phone. "Emma asked me to go riding with her sometime next week. I think I am really making progress with her." He gleefully informed his wife.

"Of course you are making progress. You are a good father and a fantastic grandfather." She stood on her tip toes and kissed him quickly.

"Thank you." He replied.

"So, if Emma and Henry are going home, does that mean we each get to ride our own horse?" She asked casually.

His face fell in disappointment, "If that is really what you want to do. I was looking forward to us riding together though and having the arms of my beautiful wife warped around me for a couple of hours. "He pouted and she smiled.

"I think we should ride together. It has been 28 years since I have seen the back of your neck up close. I need to find out if it is still a turn on." She gave him an endearing smile.

He climbed on the horse and then pulled her up to where she was sitting behind him. She wrapped her arms around his waist and clung to him tightly.

"How is the view back there?" He asked as he turned his head to the side and gave her a teasing look.

She sighed and leaned her head against his back lovingly.

"Wonderful!" She said softly.

They rode along a path that led through the woods and it almost felt like they were home in the Enchanted Forest.

"Being in the woods on a horse with you makes me feel almost as if we are back in our own world." Snow sighed contently.

"I know what you mean. I think that is why I was drawn to the woods before the curse was broken. As David I was able to find peace in the forest. It felt like home." He commented.

"Except this forest doesn't have trolls, bandits or Regina's Black Nights waiting in ambush."

"True, I think these woods are much safer than the woods of the Enchanted Forest." Charming agreed.

"This forest can be as confusing as the endless forest. Where are we exactly?" Snow asked as she looked around. "Are we getting near the town line?" She asked anxiously.

"Pretty close." He admitted.

"Maybe we should turn back?" She suggested.

Before he could reply they saw movement in the trees.

"Who is that?" He asked as he moved the horse a little closer to the edge of town.

"It looks like Mr. Gold." Snow replied with a look of surprise on her face.

They watched as Gold placed a small, white band on the leg of a deer and then encouraged it to walk across the town line. The deer walked back across the town line clearly unscathed.

"Splendid!" He exclaimed.

"What is he doing?" Snow whispered.

"Your guess is as good as mine." Her husband replied.

They both watched mesmerized as Gold repeated the process again. Finally he realized that he had an audience and looked up at the two of them with a mysterious smile on his face.

"Hello Dearies, would you care to take part in a little experiment?" He asked.

"Hell No!" Charming answered quick and to the point.

"Not on your life!" Snow added.

Gold looked disappointed, but shrugged the whole thing off quickly.

"Well then, move along Charmings, all three of you. There is nothing to see here. I do offer my congratulations on the impending birth of your Son!" He emphasized the last part.

"We don't know yet if we are having a boy or a girl." Snow corrected.

"Oh trust me, it is a boy." He insisted.

Charming turned the horse around.

"I hate it when he does that Soothsayer bit." Snow commented.

"Yeah, he can't possibly know can he?" Her husband asked, while trying to hide the fact that he was grinning.

"No, he can't possibly know and wipe that grin off of your face!" She demanded.

"You can't even see my face, how do you know I am grinning?"

"I just know, he has a 50/50 chance of being right and that is all there is to it." He stated firmly.

"I want to know what he is doing with those animals." Charming stated as a way to change the subject.

"He better not harm them! I hate to think that he doing some kind of experiments on forest animals. Do you think we should tell Emma? She is still the Sherriff."

"I will talk to the raccoons and see what I can find out. If he is up to anything nefarious, I will find out." Her husband promised.

"We could still be having a daughter!" She insisted.

"I am happy either way." He promised.

It started to rain, lightly at first. But, it quickly turned into a downpour. They headed quickly back to the stables. Charming's jacket had protected him from the rain, but Snow was soaked to the bone. Her clothes were dripping wet and she was shivering. Her husband wrapped her in a blanket, but she was still wet and cold.

"There is a heater in the back of the stables where we can hang your clothes to dry." He insisted.

"I am fine." She insisted through chattering teeth.

He gave her a serious look, "Snow I never thought I would have to say this, but I demand that you take off your clothes."

She gave a sideways glance as she removed her wet clothing. He took her clothes and hung them near the heater.

He came back and she had a grin on her face.

"What are you smiling about?" He asked.

"We still have over an hour before Emma returns and I was just wondered what we could possibly do with all that time and me naked?" She gave him a seductive look.

He smiled, "I take it you have been thinking about the possibilities?" He asked.

"I have, the only problem is that most of them require you to be naked as well." She raised an eye brow.

"That does pose a problem because my clothes are not wet and I don't need to undress." He causally informed her.

She pulled him to her and started to unbutton his shirt all the while giving him a passionate smile.

"I will just have to see if I can change your mind." His wife teased. She abandoned her task of unbuttoning his shirt and reached a little lower. Below the belt to be exact. She unbuckled his belt and unzipped his pants and reached into stroke the length of him. Never once did her eyes leave his eyes. He gasped in surprise.

"Do you need farther convincing?" She asked cheekily. Her hand was still down his pants and she was still stroking him, but it was clear that the discussion was closed. In one swift move he picked her up and placed her on a bench. Not long after that his belt, pants and underwear were on the floor. His shirt followed. He straddled her, but didn't enter her, instead he inserted two fingers into her core and stroked in the same teasing way that she had she done to him. He kissed her possessively in order to quiet any protest. Not that she would have protested. The intense pleasure she was experiencing was nothing to complain about. Only she wanted more, she wanted all of him. She actually ached for him. It surprised her how much she needed him physically, but it went so much deeper than need to be physically satisfied. Her love and respect for him ran so deep and it was that love that intensified their physical encounters. When he felt her heart rate spike and felt her start to fasten around his fingers only then did he pull them out and enter her in one smooth thrust, he placed a hand on each of her hips and swallowed her moans in another intense kiss. He had primed her well and they came together quickly in an explosion of hot, intense pleasure. He held her against him and whispered that he loved her into her hair. She felt loved, intensely loved and safe. It was that feeling of being loved and feeling secure that had been so elusive during the curse. Now that she had it back, she never wanted to loose it again.

They ended up on the floor of the stables, lying on a bed of blankets with another blanket draped across them. He had his head resting on her stomach. Once again, he could feel the pulse of pure love radiating out from their unborn child.

"Would you think I was crazy if I told you that I could feel the love, our love coming from this child?" He asked.

"You are not crazy at all. I have felt that love as well. This child is powerful, maybe even more powerful than Emma. This child is not only a product of our true love, he or she was conceived despite the fact that we were under a curse designed to keep us apart."

He nodded his head in agreement. Before they could discus it farther Emma barged back into the stable and got an eyeful of her semi naked parents.

"Oh my God! What are you doing?" She exclaimed in pure shock.

"Emma, we thought we had more time before you came back." Snow informed her.

"I tried to call, but your phone went directly to voice mail." She shot an accusing glare at her father.

"I turned it off." He informed her with a guilty look on his face.

"It started raining, so I figured that I would come back for you. I figured you might be wet and cold, but I fully expected you to have on clothes! What if Henry had been with me?" She asked angrily.

Her parents started to answer, but Emma cut them off with a warning glance.

"I'm going to go wait in the car while you get dressed!" She exclaimed.

As soon as she was gone, Charming started to gather up his clothes.

"She is right," Snow commented, "We have to think of Henry. Until the renovations are finished on the cabin, I think we should be more careful."

He nodded in agreement, "We have to think of Henry, but I think we need to consider Emma's feelings as well." He stated.

"Besides, pretty soon I am going to be so pregnant that you probably won't find me all that attractive." She shrugged.

He turned around and gave her a serious look.

"Are you afraid to be together because you think it might be dangerous for the baby" He asked with concern in his voice.

"No, of course not, I have heard that some men find pregnant women unattractive." She looked at him carefully in order to gauge his reaction. She was biting her bottom lip. He found that action to be incredibly alluring.

He sat down on the bench and put his face in his hands. He took a deep breath.

I certainly hope that other men don't find you attractive when you are pregnant, otherwise I will have to run them through with my sword." He gave her a bold smile. "As for me, I can not imagine ever not finding you sexy and desirable. I will try and control myself out of respect for Henry and Emma, but no one has said it is going to be easy."

"You can think of it as incentive to finish the cabin renovations quickly!" She stated firmly.

"Talk like that could turn me into a slave driver." He smirked, "Now you had better get dressed before Emma leaves us here."

"Ten Minutes!" Emma yelled back.

Her husband helped Snow to dress, and kissed her passionately.

"What was that for?" She asked.

"Just to prove that I love you just as much when you are fully dressed."

They walked out to the car and their very impatient daughter.

"Your mother is ridding in the front seat for the rest of her pregnancy." Charming informed their daughter.

"Get in the car!" Emma told him flippantly.

He grinned, "Can I drive?" He asked.

"No!" She replied sharply.

"Can I play the radio?" He asked, teasing.

"No!" Emma replied.

"Can we stop for a snack?" Snow asked in all seriousness.

"No, Ruby is watching Henry and we need to get home." She informed her mother.

She rolled her eyes as she drove home.


	16. Chapter 17

As always, thank you for reading.

I own nothing.

Chapter 17

Emma thanked Ruby for watching Henry and then when to check on her sleepy son. She went back to the kitchen and found her father sitting at the dining table.

"Emma, I am sorry about what happened at the stables tonight." He said sincerely.

"It was awkward, to say the least. I am mostly concerned that Henry will walk in and see something that he shouldn't see at age 12." She replied.

"Your mother and I talked about it and we plan on being more careful until we can complete the renovations on the cabin and all of us can have some more space and privacy." He promised.

Emma sighed and gave him a puzzled look.

"Why do you two do it though?" She asked.

Her father smiled, "Well when two people truly love each other, they express that love in a special way." He patted her hand.

She looked at him as if she thought he was crazy and then laughed, "Sorry, but you are about 12 years too late for that particular talk!" She gave him a sarcastic look. "What I mean is why is that you have to do it all the time!"

His face turned red and then he answered carefully, "We were apart for 28 years, I guess we are making up for lost time." He squirmed uncomfortable in the chair.

"You were in a coma for most of that time and Mary Margaret was hardly thinking about you for most of that time. So, you are going to have to come up with a new theory because neither of you was very aware of those 28 years." She insisted.

He thought about that for a moment, "That isn't exactly true. I was unconscious all that time but my mind was working. I had these recurring dreams about your mother and you. I must have relived every moment, hundreds of time, from the first time we met until you were born and I placed you in the wardrobe. When I woke up, the reality that I faced did not match what my mind remembered, so I was confused." He said with sincerity in his voice, there was also a glint of pain in his eyes.

"That is a convenient excuse for everything you did, but what about Mary Margaret, she wasn't confused was she?" Emma asked.

"Your mother was profoundly lonely. You should know that more than anyone since you lived with her for a year. She has described it to me as a feeling of emptiness that she found nearly impossible to fill. I think that is why she became a teacher. She was trying to fill that emptiness in her heart. Can you imagine feeling that way for 28 years, Emma? I think I was the lucky one because I was unconscious for most of that time."

Emma saw the full pain in his eyes, not regret because of the mistakes he had made as David Nolan, but empathy for what the woman he loved had gone through for 28 years.

"I hadn't considered what it must have been like for her." She reluctantly admitted.

"Now that your mother and I have found each other again can you really blame us for wanting to hang onto each other tightly?" He asked.

"When you put it that way, it makes sense." Emma agreed.

"Besides, we are at our sexual peak and we haven't been married that long so we are still in the honeymoon phase. We will probably tire of each other in 20 or 30 years. " He teased.

Emma groaned in frustration, "You were doing so well at convincing me and then you just had to add that last part." She rolled her eyes. "That reminds me though. I searched for records indicating that David Nolan was ever married. I could not find any proof that David and Kathryn were ever legally husband and wife."

A smile spread across his face. "That was fast."

"Some people in Boston owed me a favor or two." She shrugged.

"Thanks Emma. I am going to go propose to the woman I love, again." He grinned broadly. Then turned back to his daughter and said, "Happy Birthday again. I hope it was a good one."

"Last year I made a wish not to be alone and I got Henry at my front door. This year, I got a whole family and a horse. As birthdays go this one was pretty fierce!" She admitted.

"Fierce?" Her father asked with a puzzled look on his face.

"That means it was good." She told him. "I checked my schedule and I have some free time at noon tomorrow. If you would like to meet at the stables, we could go riding." She suggested hesitantly.

"I would like that very much. It would be fierce!" He answered with enthusiasm.

Emma frowned, "Yeah, just don't use words like that in public."

He laughed to himself as he headed to bed.

Snow had gone to check on Henry and found that he had fallen asleep looking at his new book that Regina had given him for his birthday. She also noticed that he was covering with the new bedspread that Emma had given him. It depicted scenes from the movie TRON, which was his absolute favorite movie. If there was any hope that her family and Regina could come to some kind of a peace accord, Henry represented that hope.

Snow leaned over and gave Henry a kiss on the forehead. She picked up the book and flipped open a random page. There in moving, living color was a depiction of the scene between her and Charming directly following their first encounter at the Troll Bridge. She had just tried on the ring in order to prove to her future husband that the ring was not meant for her.

For the first time, Snow was able to view the scene from an outside perspective. She saw how lovingly Charming gazed at her when she slipped the ring on her finger. She saw the look of hope in his eyes and then the devastating look of longing as they parted.

She took the book with her to their room and sat on the edge of the bed as she flipped through the pages. Her husband came in the room and sat down beside her.

"What are you looking at?" He asked.

"The book that Regina gave Henry for his birthday." She showed him the pages.

He stared at them in awe and then a look of fear crossed his face. "It is beautiful, but what is the catch. Is it going to explode or shoot out poisonous gas?" He turned the book over.

"No, it is perfectly safe." She assured him, "I don't think she would actually booby trap a present she gave Henry."

"How did she manage it though? There are things in this book that only you and I should know about." He gave her a puzzled look.

"The book I gave Henry had some of the same events, only it was not as magical as this book. Regina told us that she didn't create the book. She used some of the True Love potion and the book grew from that magic. Maybe that is how the book I gave Henry was created as well? Maybe it was not so much written as it was grown?" She wondered out loud.

"Kind of like our children?" He asked, "You add a few drops of true love and shake well and nine months later magic happens?" He teased.

"The way I remember it, the magic part occurs nine months earlier." She teased back.

"That makes me wonder about something. Just how detailed is this book?" He flipped past the pages depicting their wedding to the place where their wedding night would have been shown.

He sighed with relief, "Not that accurate." He said the relief could be heard in his voice.

"Every good magician knows when to keep secrets" She shyly informed him.

She flipped the pages back to their wedding day. Even though she had seen a picture of their wedding in the book she had given Henry, she had not realized at the time that she was looking at a self-portrait.

"Why didn't someone tell me how ridicules I looked on my wedding day?" She asked with shock in her voice.

Charming gave her a loving look, "You were beautiful." He said with feeling in his voice.

"My hair looks horrible. That is the first and last time I ever let Red give me a makeover! No wonder she told me that it was bad luck to look in a mirror on your wedding day!" She cringed.

Charming looked at the pictures in the magical book. All he saw was the woman he loved on one of the happiest days of her life. Just seeing the images of her that day took his breath away.

"Snow, you were radiant that day. When I first saw you I could not believe how lucky I was to have the most beautiful and graceful and wonderful woman on the planet agree to marry me that day." He told her truthfully.

She leaned her head on his shoulder, "I love you." She told him.

"I love you too." He replied. "In fact I love you so much and I love marrying you so much that I want to do it again." He said nervously.

"Do what again?" She asked puzzled.

"Get married." He repeated.

She gave him a questioning look, "Why would we want to do that? We are already married."

"I want to get married as David and Mary Margaret. I had Emma check to make sure that David and Kathryn were never legally married and they weren't. So, you and I can get married." He explained.

"Why?' She asked again.

"Do you remember when we got married?" He asked.

"Yes of course, it is in the book." She showed him the pages.

"I mean the part that is not in the book." He crossed his arms in defiance.

"Of course I remember." She said softly. A smile formed on her lips at the memory of those private vows made just between the two of them.

"Did you feel married after those vows?" He asked.

"Yes." She simply responded.

"Then why the second wedding, the one that is in all of the books?" He challenged.

"We had to be married in the Realm." She answered quickly.

He reached over and turned off his bedside light.

"Whether we like it or not Snow, this is now our Realm." He crossed his arms across his chest in a standoffish manner.

"I'll think about it." She replied softly as she reached over and turned off the lamp that was on her bedside table. She wrapped her arms around him in a loving embrace and leaned her head against his back. She felt him relax as he gave into her embrace. He tried not to be disappointed or feel rejected, but the truth of the matter was that he was a little stunned. He had expected her to jump at the idea of getting remarried. He felt that it was important, but he would go along with what she wanted. He fell into a fitful sleep. Snow felt as safe and warm and content as she always did when she slept in the arms of her husband and she slept soundly until about one in the morning when the nausea started. Emma heard someone up and found her mother kneeling on the floor in the bathroom with her head over the toilet bowl.

"I take it you are feeling the full effects of morning sickness?" Emma asked with a sympathetic look on her face.

Her mother nodded her head weakly, "Yes." She admitted before throwing up again.

Emma handed her a wet cloth for her face and ran got her a glass of water. Her mother sat down on the floor and drank the water.

"I think I am going to die." She said hoarsely.

"You are not going to do that." Emma promised.

"Then I think I am going to killing your father for getting me in this predicament." She insisted.

"You are not going to do that either." Emma informed her.

"He asked me to marry him again." She stated with feeling.

"I'll start collecting the rose petals." Emma said.

"You might want to wait on that. I told him I had to think about it." Snow said weakly.

"You will say yes though?" Emma asked a little surprised.

"I haven't decided. What is the point? We were married in our land. Everyone knows we are committed to each other. "Snow shrugged.

"True, but people renew their vows all the time." Emma pointed out.

"Really, why would they do that?" Snow asked.

"Lots of reasons, some of them are legal to make sure that the father's name appears on the birth certificate of a child." She looked down at her mother and an accusing manner. "To make sure that the man can make life and death decisions in case the woman is incapacitated or so she can make choices for him. Some people do it to mark special events like being together for 30 years or coming through a particular difficult period together. I thought it was a romantic gesture on David's part. He wants to commit to you and the child you are having together. He does so much for you. I think you should do it because it is something that he wants." Emma stated with conviction.

"I guess I could do it for him." Her mother agreed. "

Emma rewet the wash cloth and handed it to her mother. "Yeah, you could do it for him, but I think you should do it for both of you and for all of us. You keep saying that we need to act like a family. Maybe this is his way practicing what he preaches." Emma shrugged.


	17. Chapter 18 A Good Man

Thank you to everyone who continues to read this story.

I do not own these characters or their setting. All I claim authorship to are the words written here.

Chapter 18 A Good Man

Snow sat on a small bench in the bathroom. She had suffered from morning sickness until the wee hours of the morning. She had showered and gotten dressed and that made her feel a little better. Still, she was not relishing facing the day. She had to go to the school and meet with other teachers and the principle. They were facing the first post curse school year and they had no idea how to proceed. Some of the children had been in the same class for 28 years. A few others had somehow managed to advance through the system. There were a few who had come from the outside world and had not been affected by the curse. Henry was one of them and Snow planned on taking him with her in the hopes that he would be able to provide insight into how to Advance his classmates. They needed to come up with some type of system to test the abilities of the students and they needed to come up with it fast.

When Snow left the safety of the bathroom the first thing that she experienced was the overwhelming smell of breakfast cooking. The scent of eggs, coffee and burnt toast permeated the air and made her feel like rushing back into the bathroom and setting up permanent residence.

Henry and Emma were sitting at the table finishing up breakfast and her husband was putting the finishing touches on a plate of food. She sat down gingerly and looked at the plate that he had proudly placed in front of her and had to rush back to the bathroom. To make things worse, when she came back from throwing up, he wanted to kiss her!

"Don't touch me." She stated weakly.

He seemed genuinely perplexed and momentarily hurt. "Alright." He agreed reluctantly.

Emma had gotten up and prepared her mother a cup of tea and a piece of dry toast. Her father gave her a worried look.

"She has morning sickness." Emma informed him.

He gave his wife a worried look and asked her in a sympathetic tone, "Is there anything I can do to help?"

"How about never touching me again?" She snapped.

He grinned nervously, "Isn't that a little extreme, dear?" He asked.

"I don't think so, dear," She answered sarcastically, "Since your repeated touching of me is the reason I only got two hours of sleep last night!" She sobbed.

"What does she mean?" Henry asked innocently, "Are they going to break up?" He sounded worried.

Emma gave her parents a hostile look.

"No one is breaking up." She assured him. "What is the plan for today?" She asked trying to change the subject.

"I would just as soon crawl into bed and spend the day under the covers." Snow insisted, "But I have to go to school and meet with other teachers and try and come up with a plan to continue to educate the children of this town. Henry, you are coming with me." She insisted. "I will probably spend most of the day in the teachers restroom bent over the toilet though!"

Charming pushed back his uneaten breakfast.

"I was going to go to the cabin and work on the expansion and renovation, but if you would rather I went to school with you and Henry, I can do that instead." He gave his wife a worried look.

"So you can hold my hand while I throw up?" She asked. "I think I can manage without you." She insisted sarcastically.

Henry gave his grandfather a pleading look, "Can I go to the cabin with you?" He begged.

"We really could use your help since you are one of the few children in the school system that has advanced." Snow told him. "It won't be that bad." She promised.

"Okay, then go get ready to go with your grandmother, kid." Emma informed him.

Henry ran upstairs.

Emma addressed her parents. "I need to go take a shower and get to the station."

"I need to get going as well." Charming informed them. He wasn't sure what time Jasmine would show up at the cabin and he didn't want to miss her.

He leaned over to kiss Snow, but she pushed him away.

"Do I have morning breath?" He asked.

"You smell like coffee and suddenly the smell of it makes me want to puke. I am banning it in this house!" She grimaced. "Plus, what part of never touching me again did you misunderstand?" She asked sarcastically.

He kissed her on the forehead. "I love you too, honey. I will see you later" He called out as he left out the door.

Snow sipped her tea and tried to nibble on her toast.

The morning quickly warmed up and Charming had stripped off his over shirt and hung it on a peg. He was busy hammering a beam into place and he didn't hear Jasmine drive up.

"Very nice!" She stated clearly admiring his well-toned muscles that were outlined by his undershirt.

"Jasmine, I didn't see you drive up." He smiled at her. He reached for his over shirt, but she stopped him and instead took him by the arm and led him over to a stack of blocks. She was wearing a short, purple suite that showed off a slender figure. The color off set her exotic complexion. He also noticed that the length of the skirt showcased her legs.

"As promised I brought coffee and pastries." She handed him a bag from the diner. He found that he was hungry. The morning sickness discussion at the breakfast table had ruined his appetite and he hadn't had a chance to grab anything else to eat and he probably wouldn't get to have lunch since he was supposed to go riding with Emma. Jasmine's hand was still resting on his arm.

"The coffee is good. It doesn't taste like the one they serve at Granny's." He took a long sip.

"It is my one special blend." She informed him.

"Snow has banned coffee at our place. So, I need to savior it where I can get it." She told her.

"Well, you know what they say? When something is forbidden, it just makes it all the tastier." She gave him a sultry look.

Marco had been watching her ever since she had arrived and he decided the situation was ripe for interruption. He stuck his head out the door.

"I am going to start on the woodwork in the nursery." He informed Charming.

"Whatever you think is important. I trust your judgment." The prince informed him causally.

Marco just shook his head and reluctantly left them alone.

"Do you have any ideas on how you would like to approach your campaign?" She asked.

"I haven't even decided if I am going to run." He informed her. "I really think that my wife would make a better Mayor." He took another sip of the coffee.

Jasmine shook her head sadly, "I am afraid that I have to disagree with you. I can give you a list of reasons why your wife is ill-suited to run against Mayor Mills.

"Such as?" He asked defensively.

"Well, for one thing, many people think of her as nothing more than a spoiled Princess who was unable to get along with her stepmother." She waved a well-manicured finger in front of his face.

"That is my wife you are talking about!" He replied in an accusing voice. "Snow is the kindest and most generous person I know she is beautiful inside and out, and that stepmother she supposedly could not get along with, tried to kill her repeatedly!"

"That stepmother would be her political opposition. Her supposed sweet disposition does not change the fact that she and Regina have a past. One that Madam Mayor would take great pleasure in running through the winger if it would help her get re-elected." Jasmine pointed out.

"You have a point." Charming conceded.

"You on the other hand, are viewed as a man of the people who has an uncomplicated past. There is very little that you have done that could be used to fling mud at your champagne. This town needs your leadership!" She insisted boldly.

"I have to talk to my family about running for mayor. Which reminds me, I am supposed to meet my daughter to go horse back in 20 minutes. We will have to continue this discussion another time." He informed her.

"I have a better idea. I can come along. I love horses and we can go over some strategy ideas I have that will surely get you elected. I can take some candid photos of you bonding with your daughter. It will be great publicity." She smiled broadly.

He looked at her as if she had lost her mind. "If I decide to do this, we are not going to use my family for publicity! I am going to spend a few hours bonding with my daughter and we are going to do it alone. Do we have an understanding?" He seethed.

She was momentarily stunned, but quickly recovered. "Of course, you are the boss." She gave him a smile.

He reached for his over shirt and put it on. He was about to button it, but she stopped him.

"Let me help you with that." She started to slowly fasten the buttons.

"Excuse me, am I interrupting anything?" A voice called sarcastically from the porch.

Charming looked up and was surprised to see his daughter standing in the doorway.

"Emma! I thought we were meeting at the stables" He ginned warmly.

"A friend was coming this way and I decided to surprise you. I thought you would be surprised." She stated stoically.

"I am surprised." He admitted.

"I can see that." She replied sarcastically. "We can ride over together if you are ready and then you can drop me back in town later."

Emma frowned when she noticed that Jasmine still had her hands on his shirt.

"I'm ready." He told her. He stepped towards Emma and finished buttoning his shirt. "Jasmine, I will call you when I make a decision about running for Mayor." He called back as he led Emma outside.

Emma was quite after they got in his truck. Finally she turned to her father and asked, "Do you think Jasmine is pretty?"

"I guess she could be considered pretty in an exotic kind of way. Why do you ask?" Her father inquired.

"She was blatantly flirting with you and I was just wondering if you were attracted to her as well."

"Emma, she is trying to help me." He insisted defensively.

"More likely she is trying to help herself into your pants! She was undressing you!" Emma snorted.

"Emma, that is not true and even if it was, I am not about to cheat on Snow when she is pregnant."

"Then it is a good thing that the election is over before she has the baby!" She shot back.

"Maybe going out riding together is a bad idea. Why don't I drop you off in town? We can do this some other day. " He said sadly.

"Then you can rush back to your meeting with your election manger?" It was an accusation plan and simple.

"No!" He protested. "There is not now, nor will ever there be anything between Jasmine and myself! She was not undressing me. She was helping me put in my over shirt. I was never undressed."

"Did Mary Margaret know you were meeting her this morning?" Emma asked.

"No, but that is only because she was a little preoccupied this morning." He defended.

"So, you just arranged the meeting this morning?" She gave him a disbelieving look.

"No, Jasmine texted me last night and we arranged to meet today. Your mother and I were preoccupied last night so I did not get around to mentioning it to her. I asked her to marry me again and she turned me down." He sighed

"I know, she told me about it. She said that she needed to think about it. I tried to convince her that she should do it because it is something that is important to you. I think you just need to give her time to get used to the idea." Emma shrugged.

"I want her to do it because it is important to her. Emma, I looked it up and do you know that my name will not appear on the baby's birth certificate unless you mother and I have the same last name?" He asked in a defeated tone.

"I am not going to get in the middle of this. The two of you are going to have to solve the problem yourselves. You may want to mention that to her though." She suggested.

"Your mother can be so stubborn." He sighed

"You are both dealing with a lot of changes right now. I do have a word of advice. I have met women like Jasmine before and they are usually more than willing to offer a soft shoulder to cry on when a couple is going through the kind of changes you and Mary Margaret are facing. But if you think you have problems now, they are nothing compared to what you would be dealing with if you do turn to her for support." Emma glared at him.

"Emma, I thought we were making progress towards you trusting me?" he sighed.

"We are, it is just hard for me to trust, especially men. I have been screwed over far too many times and I don't want that to happen to Mary Margaret."

"I would never hurt your mother. For the record, any decision I make about running for Mayor is going to happen after I discuss the matter with Snow. That is how we do it, Emma!"

He came to a fork in the road and hesitated. Either he could go left and end up at the stables or he go right and take Emma back to town.

"Okay then, let's go horseback riding." Emma stated firmly.

Snow wanted to bang her head against a desk in frustration. Half of the morning had passed and they had not started to formulate a plan on how to progress the students who would be starting school in less than a month. Of course it did not help matters that she had spent half the morning in the restroom throwing up. She hoped that she would be past the worst of the morning sickness by the time that school started.

"The fact remains that we must find a way to test the abilities of the students before they return to school." She reminded the assembled group with a sigh.

She wished that they were sitting around the round table in her palace where she could see and read all of their faces. She also wished that Charming was at her side. For some reason, the system they had used in the Enchanted Forest always seemed to get results. Everyone had a voice, but in the end he always came to a fair conclusion and people listened to him. It might have had something to do with a fear that he would run him through with his sword, but results were still results. Anything would have been better than the back and forth that had been going on all morning.

"We are open to suggestions." The Principle answered.

"We could always place the children in the grade they were in last year and see how they progress." One teacher suggested.

Snow sighed, "Those children have been in the same grade for 29 years. I think they deserve to advance." She stated sadly.

"Then we are back to the problem of how to measure what they have learned in those 29 years." Another teacher pointed out.

"Why not just give them the end of the year test for each grade?" Henry asked from the back of the room.

"Because, the teachers did not save those tests they gave the students at the end of each year." The principle informed him sarcastically.

"I have taken many of those tests and I still have my copies." Henry replied.

"You saved your end of the years evaluations?" Snow asked.

"They are all in a box underneath my bed at the Mayor's house." He told her.

"If we can go over those tests, we may be able to come up with an evaluation tool. We need to break for lunch and then meet back here and formulate a plan." The principle informed them.

Snow turned to her grandson, beaming. "I think you earned lunch Granny's." She smiled at him. In that moment he reminded her so much of his grandfather it made her heart soar. It was exactly the type of solution Charming would have come up with if he had been there. The first thing she was going to do when she saw her husband was to tell him how proud she was of him and the second thing she was going to do was accept his marriage proposal, because a good man only came along twice every 30 years and when he did, he was worth marrying twice as well.


	18. Chapter 19 Like Father Like Daughter

Chapter 19: Like Father Like Daughter

Charming and Emma were out riding and had come up with an informal game for getting to know each other. They were taking turns asking each other personal questions.

"Okay, it is my turn." Emma informed him. "When and where did you kill your first dragon?"

Her father laughed, "It was in the kingdom of King Midas and I was pretending to be my dead brother, Prince James, at the time. He stated light heartedly.

"Mine was underneath the town library, with your sword." She informed him.

"What was your favorite subject in school?" He asked.

"Ironically, it was fencing. It was part of one of those programs to help underachieving and troubled kids. Give them something pointy and let them have at it!" She laughed.

"Nice!" He commented sarcastically.

"So far, I have given you easy questions. Now for a hard one, have you thought about names for the baby?" She asked.

"Snow and I have not had a chance to talk about it." He reluctantly admitted. "If we have a boy I would like to name him Leo after Snow's father though." He smiled wistfully.

"I think she would approve." Emma nodded and then she asked, "What were your parents named?"

"That is two questions in a row," He teased, "My mother was named Ruth and my father was named James, I always wondered why I wasn't named after my father and then I found out that he already had a namesake." He sighed.

"Of course your twin brother was named James." Emma nodded.

"Everyone called my dad Jack." Her father informed her.

"Like from the story about the Beanstalk and the Giants?" Emma asked curiously.

"Maybe, I never knew for sure. There were no giants left by the time I was a little boy" He let the information sink in.

"What were your parents like?" She asked with enthusiasm.

"I barely remember my father. He died when I was very young. My mother told me that he never forgave himself for giving away my brother. Ruth was a bored member of the royal family when she met my father and fell in love. Her family disowned her when she ran off with my father and they had to struggle as farmers. That was when Rumpelstiltskin approached them and offered money for one of their twin boys. The King and Queen of a far off land were childless and they needed an heir." He explained.

"Back up a minute, your mother was a princess?" Emma asked shocked.

"She was until she married my father, then she became a shepherdess." He stated ironically.

"But you are always being referred to as nothing but the son of a shepherd. You are royalty!" Her voice rose in pitch.

"My mother did not see it that way. When her family turned their back on her, she found a life that was much more fulfilling with my father. Even though, their life was hard, he was her true love." Charming explained wistfully.

"But you are a Prince!" Emma exclaimed.

He laughed, "I became a Prince when I married your mother. Because of the man that she made me not because my mother was born to a king." He shrugged.

"Does mom know about this?" She asked cautiously giving him a sideways glance.

"Your mother and I have no secrets from each other." He promised. "Now it is my turn to ask you a question."

"Nothing in my life could be that interesting, but go ahead." She shrugged

"Where did you learn to ride a horse so well?"

"I told you I was in the mounted police."

He gave her a skeptical look.

"Okay, it was actually a security firm that I worked for one Christmas. We patrolled the parking lots of malls to make sure that cars were not broken into. We did it on horses though. I had always loved ridding though. One summer, while I was in elementary school, I took part in an equestrian camp for troubled kids. That was where I learned to love horses."

"Teaching kids to ride makes more sense than giving them pointy sticks and having them go at it. A love of horses is something we have in common. My mother and I were too poor to have horses, but the daughter of the tavern owner used to take me out ridding. Bessie was my first." He sighed nostalgically.

A look of shock crossed her face, "That is way too much information!" She stated in disgust.

"Bessie was the horse, Emma." He laughed.

"Okay." Emma said cautiously.

"Your mother was the first woman I was ever with in that way." He informed her.

She looked surprised. "Are you serious?" She asked in a disbelieving voice.

"Yes, your mother is my one and only." He smiled. Technically, it wasn't true. David had been with Kathryn, but somehow he didn't feel that it counted.

They rode along in silence for a while before Emma blurted out, "Henry's father was my first. Wow! I have never even told Mary Margaret that!" She looked slightly embarrassed.

"Did you love him?" He asked softly.

"I was 17, of course it was love." She said sarcastically.

"I mean, did you really love him?" He clarified.

"Maybe, it is hard to tell since he didn't stick around." She shrugged. "I love Henry though and that is what is important right now."

"My turn," She reminded him.

"Go ahead and ask me anything." He grinned.

"Tell me something you learned on your wedding night and remember this is your daughter you are telling." She remarked dryly.

He thought for a moment.

"I learned that it is a bad idea to fall sleep on your wedding night." He stated boldly.

"You fell asleep?" She asked him with shock in her voice.

"In my defense it had been a long week. Fairy Tale wedding last at least a week. There are feasts and parades and pageants. Then Regina showed up right after the ceremony was complete and we had to deal with that. The wedding was at our palace, the one we had taken from King George, but we were scheduled to spend a week alone at the Summer Palace that been built for Snow's mother. It was a long carriage ride between the two places."

"You fell asleep?" She repeated in an accusing tone.

"I am trying to explain. By the time that we got to the Summer Palace it was late. A few of the servants had waited up for us, but your mother sent them to bed. Then she went to change and that was when I fell asleep. Your mother was not amused." He admitted.

"I don't blame her." Emma shrugged.

"When I woke up I discovered she had tied my hands to the bedposts with the ribbons from her wedding dress. Things got interesting after that." He laughed.

"You're telling this to your daughter, remember?" She scolded.

"Right, so the really important thing I learned that night was to trust your Mother."

Emma looked at her watch and realized they had been out ridding for two hours.

"We should be heading back." She suggested.

"There is something I want to check out over by the town line if that is okay?" He asked.

"Lead the way." She answered.

As they approached the town border, they saw movement and as Charming suspected, it turned out to be Gold again.

"Is that Gold?" Emma asked with surprise in her voice.

"Yes it is. Snow and I saw him out here last night as well." Her father explained.

"Why is he putting ankle monitors on deer?" She asked as they watched Gold attach the white device to the leg of a deer and then send it across the town line.

"Is that what those things are?" Her father asked.

"They use them for criminals that are under house arrest to keep track of their activities and movements. I guess they could be used to track animals, but why bother? They are expensive for one thing."

"I talked to the raccoons this morning and they told me that he is only putting them on animals that came from the Enchanted Forest. He sends them across the town line with those devices attached and then lures the deer back across with food or a treat. He is testing whether it is safe to cross the town line as long as a person or animal is wearing the monitor." Charming informed her.

"Gold wants to leave Storybrooke?" She asked, in a shocked tone.

"It would appear so." Her father grimaced.

"That is a very bad idea! Can you imagine what it would be like to have a magic able Gold running around the outside world?" Emma exclaimed.

"It would be bad!" Her father agreed under his breath. He turned his horse around and started back for the stables.

Emma caught up with his horse, "Wait a minute! You can talk to animals?" She asked with mild amusement on her face.

Her father just laughed. "I'll race you back to the stables and then I can drop you back at the station. There is something important I need to do in town."

Emma gave him a worried look and then followed him back to the stables.

Snow gave Henry a hug.

"You were very helpful today." She told him. After lunch they had stopped by Regina's to pick up the tests. She hadn't been at home, but Henry had a key and was able to easily retrieve the tests.

He gave her a worried look.

"What's wrong, sweetie?" She asked.

"Will your nausea and throwing up hurt the baby?" He asked seriously.

"No, it is a normal part of being pregnant. Some women get dehydrated and have to go to the hospital, but most of the time the nausea passes in a month of so." She told him in a reassuring voice. "If you have any questions about this, you are free to ask. I will try and answer anything." She told him truthfully.

"Well, I do have another question." He admitted.

Snow steeled herself and smiled encouragingly.

"Go ahead, you can ask me anything." She said.

"Did you mean what you said this morning about not letting Gramps touch you ever again?" He asked, with confusion and concern in his voice.

"No, of course not." She admitted.

"Good, because I have noticed that he really likes to touch you and I think that he would be sad if he could never touch you again." He said with feeling.

Snow kept smiling, "What exactly have you noticed?" She asked through gritted teeth.

"Oh, you know that he likes to hug you and hold your hand and sometimes he rubs your back if you are stressed out." Henry shrugged.

Snow relaxed and said, "He can keep on doing those things."

Henry lowered his voice to a whisper, "I think he also likes to kiss you. Even though I don't understand why anyone would want to do that? Not that there is anything wrong with you. I just don't understand kissing." He shrugged.

She hugged him, "That's okay. It isn't something you need to worry about yet." His grandmother hugged him. They both squinted as they stepped out of the dark school and into the bright summer day. Henry's eyes adjusted first.

"Gramps!" He called out and rushed down the steps and stopped in front of a bench where Charming was sitting.

"How was school?" He asked Henry.

"Well, it wasn't actually school." He replied as he looked across the school yard. "Grace is over there, can I go talk to her?"

"Stay where we can see you!" Snow requested, but Henry was already out of earshot. She wondered how long it would take before her grandson understood kissing.

Charming smiled at his wife, "Hello gorgeous."

"I feel anything but." She sighed as she sat down on the bench beside her husband. His hand went instantly to her back and started rubbing in circles that melted the tension from the day. She found it amusing that Henry had noticed the ways that charming touched her and yet she never had. Maybe she just took it for granted.

"You are always gorgeous as far as I am concerned." He pulled her to him and kissed her long and slow before she could protest.

"If you only knew what has gone past my lips today. I have been kneeling on the floor of a public restroom and I need a shower and to brush my teeth and probably to burn these clothes" She finally protested.

"I don't care. Have you forgotten the time we made passionate love on the forest floor on a cushion of pine needles? We had been running around in the trees for three days and our supplies had been cut off. We had been eating whatever we could find on the forest ground? " He cheekily reminded her.

"How could I forget? It was during the Troll uprising. I was picking pine needles out of some very delicate areas for weeks" She grinned.

"We didn't mind kissing every inch of each other's bodies that night." He grinned. " We really needed to burn our clothes by the time we made it back to camp." He laughed as he moved to kiss her again.

"Eww! You two should get a room!" Henry shouted.

Charming laughed against his wife's chin.

"Do you even know what that means?" He called over his shoulder at their grandson.

"No," Henry admitted, "But whatever it means, I think it applies to you two!" He replied back.

"I thought I was going to have to have the sex talk with Henry today." Snow quietly told her husband.

"I had the sex talk with Emma last night," He proudly informed her, "You can thank me later." He grinned in a teasing fashion. "And I told her about our wedding night." He added and waited for her reaction.

Snow just shook her head in disbelief, "What exactly did you tell her?" She asked with concern in her voice.

"I told her that I learned that night to trust you implicitly." He said with feeling in his voice.

"I am so glad because there are a few things in our life that I would rather not have to explain to our daughter." She admitted.

"Well, she saw that security tape from Granny's so she has probably figured out a few things."

He handed her a takeout bag from Granny's.

"Speaking of Granny's, I come bearing gifts." He handed her a cup. "Chamomile tea is in the cup and chocolate doughnuts are in the bag. He handed her the bag. "I know that no matter how bad you feel you will never say no to a chocolate doughnut."

He was right and she dug into the doughnuts and sipped the tea. She instantly felt better.

"There is something else that I need to say yes to. I think there is a pressing question that you asked me last night?" She shyly reminded him.

He gave her a serious look, "Are you saying what I think you are saying?" His face broke into a grin.

"Yes, I will marry you, again." She said as he kissed her again.

"Excuse me, your majesties; may I have a moment of your time?" A voice asked.

They both looked up and saw a dark haired man standing in front of them. Neither of them recognized the man. Charming held his wife a little tighter in protective embrace. The man must have noticed, because he quickly introduced himself.

"We have never met. My wife and I are Paige, I mean Grace's adoptive parents." He indicated the little girl talking to Henry.

Recognition dawned on Snow's face. "Right, I have seen her in school." She smiled warmly.

"We were the neighbors of her and her father before the Curse. Even while we were under the Curse, my wife and I always felt that our relationship with her was off somehow if you can understand?" He asked timidly.

Charming did understand and he said as much, "I know exactly what you mean, she was supposed to be a part of your family and yet the pieces of that life did not fit together perfectly." He gave the man a reassuring look.

"Now we know why the pieces didn't fit. We love Paige and we want to be a part of her life, but we also know that she belongs with her father." The man shrugged.

"These are confusing times for a lot of people." Charming admitted.

The man nodded his head in agreement, "My wife and I were hoping that the two of you would intervene and help us to come to some kind of arrangement with Jefferson?" He had a pleading look on his face.

Both of them seemed momentarily stunned.

"Of course, we would be honored to help." Snow informed him.

"Thank you." His voice was heavy with gratitude.

Henry ran up to the adults.

"Grace just invited me to go to Granny's with her for dinner. Can I go?" He begged.

Snow and Charming exchanged a look and then looked towards Grace's adopted father. He nodded in agreement.

"Sure, but have Ruby or Granny bring you home when you are finished." Charming told him sternly.

"Thanks, Gramps!" He called over his shoulder.

"Should we be worried?" Snow asked.

"Probably not, but he is growing up. How did it really go today go today?" Charming asked his wife.

"We made some progress," She admitted. "Henry was a big help. He actually reminded me a lot of you." She gave him an appreciative smile.

"How do you mean?" He asked.

"Henry saw that there was a problem, listened to all sides and he presented a logical solution that not only solved the problem, but also addressed everyone's concerns. It is exactly the way you would have solved the solution. It made me realize it is the thing that will make you a great mayor. I think you should run against Regina." She informed him.

"I met with Jasmine this morning and I think she could help me win. Is it really what we want though? Because I think you would make a much better Mayor, Snow." He insisted.

"Sometimes I think that people see me as too nice. That would work against me in this case. This town needs someone who can take decisive action. Regina has spent 29 years basically not taking care of this town. We need infrastructure and improvements and how about a daycare center?" She insisted.

"There you go proving my point. You have all of the good ideas, Snow." He replied.

"You have the voice to carry them out though and the sword to back it up if the need arises. Don't worry though, once you become Mayor I am going to make sure you listen to all of my good ideas." She teased. "Charming you did a wonderful job organizing people when we were looking for Henry." She insisted.

"Well, I did spend a lot of years herding sheep." He admitted sheepishly.

Snow smiled, "There you go. You have all the experience necessary to be mayor. Although, you probably should not let people hear you call them sheep if you want their votes." She teased.

"Are you ready to go home?" Her husband asked. "Emma should be at the station for a couple of more hours and with Henry at Granny's we might actually get to spend some time alone." He happily stated.

"How would you suggest we spend this alone time?" She asked with interest.

"I was thinking about running a nice, hot, bubble bath." He grinned.

She furrowed her brows in concentration. "Was this proposed bath for you or for me?" She asked.

He gave her a sly look, "I was thinking it could be for both of us?"

She smiled happily, "Good answer."


	19. Interlude

Interlude

Later that night…

Since Emma often came home late in the evening it had been decided that she would take the downstairs bedroom and henry and her parents would sleep in the two rooms upstairs. For that reason, she often used the downstairs bathroom, the one with the claw footed tub favored by her mother. She was exhausted when she finally came in that night. The house was silent and she slipped off her boots so as not to wake her parents or son. She always believed herself to be in pretty good shape, but those two hours of horseback riding with her father had left her sore. All she wanted to do was soak in the tub and fall into bed. She padded into the bathroom and shrieked as her sock clad foot landed in a puddle of water. Fortunately, she was unaware of the fact that her parents had partaken of a bubble bath that had turned a little frisky. Emma no longer cared who she roused from a peaceful sleep. She stood at the bottom of the stairs and yelled up.

"Why are there puddles of water all over the bathroom floor?"

Charming snuggled close to his wife and rested his head on her shoulder. His hands were resting on her stomach, which was quickly becoming one of his favorite parts of her body. The farther she was along in her pregnancy the more he loved sleeping with his hands on their unborn child. Their daughter could be such a drama queen. He was sure that they had cleaned up most of the water that had landed on the bathroom floor. If he had not been so blissfully warm and comfortable, he would have gone downstairs and had it out with her.

Henry appeared at the top of the stairs and saw that it was indeed his mother doing the yelling and not a robber. He sleepily stumbled back to bed. Emma took off her wet socks and rolled them up in a ball and threw them into a corner of the living room. She then collapsed on her bed.

Charming heard the door to Henry's room open and close. All was quite from Emma downstairs. He inhaled the scent of his wife, the lavender from the bubble bath mixed with a scent that was uniquely Snow White.

"This is what Happy Ever After feels like." He thought to himself.

The next morning Emma glared at her father across the breakfast table making it nearly impossible for him to eat. He looked up the newspaper.

"Sorry about the water on the bathroom floor." He stated apologetically.

"Life is messy. I am used to it by now." Emma shrugged, but that did not stop her from giving him dirty looks.

"Emma, is something on your mind?" He sighed as he asked her.

"Have you told Mary Margaret about Jasmine trying to seduce you?" She asked in a snappish manner.

He put down the newspaper. "I don't intend to tell her and I would appreciate it if you kept the information to yourself as well." He remarked dryly.

"What happened to not keeping secrets from one and other?" She asked with more than a hint of accusation in her voice.

"If I thought that it was something your mother needed to know, I would tell her myself. She has a lot to worry about right now. She is dealing with the pregnancy and adjusting to us being a family and she is starting back to school. She does not need to worry about this!" He stated it with finality and raised the paper back up as a visual barrier. However, he could still feel Emma glaring at him.

Several weeks later

DA Spencer, better known as King George opened the door to Jasmine, better known as home wrecker extraordinary and current campaign manager of David Nolan's bid for Mayor of Stroybrooke.

"I brought wine." She informed him as she walked on the door. She went to a cabinet and brought out two glasses.

"Good we have much to discuss." He opened the wine and poured two glasses and handed her one. "Snow White has another ultrasound appointment tomorrow and I want you to make sure that her husband does not show up for the appointment." He sneered.

Jasmine considered for a moment, "doable, actually I find him quite doable." She smiled.

Spencer shook his head in disgust, "I do not understand the attraction he has for so many women." He cringed.

"Are you joking? He is brave, loyal, and gorgeous and most import, he is so good. The thrill of corrupting him is too powerful to resist. And to top it off, I have the chance to prove that lust and greed are more powerful than True Love."

"I like the way you think." Spencer admitted with admiration in his voice. "I don't know what made you so jaded when it comes to love, but it suites my purposes."

"True love is a myth and nothing lasts forever." Jasmine shrugged. "What time is her appointment?"

"3:30 am. I need him distanced for most of the afternoon. I am going to have a DNA sample taken from the child and I need to make sure that he is nowhere near the procedure." Spence admitted.

"Why do you need DNA test?" Jasmine asked.

"There is no point in going forward with my plan if Charming is not the father. I need proof." He stated casually.

"Isn't it a kind of an invasive test, won't she get suspicious?" Jasmine asked.

"That is why I am going to have the technician tell her that they suspect something is wrong with the development of the child." Spencer informed her.

The next day…

The bell rang dismissing class for the day. Snow White watched the eager young students as they raced out the door. She sat down hard in the chair behind her desk and closed her eyes.

Snow was starting to feel the emotional and physical effects of her 4th month of pregnancy. But she could not be happier teaching school again. She is looking forward to her ultrasound appointment scheduled for that afternoon. Her husband is supposed to meet her at the clinic and they are supposed to find out the gender of the baby. She could have found out earlier, but she wanted him to be there when she found out and he has missed her last two appointments. Running for mayor against Regina has left him busy. He has spent a great deal of time campaigning and that has left them with less time to spend together. One of the luxuries he no longer has time for is making it to her doctor's appointments. He has stopped personally overseeing the renovation of the cabin and she is not sure that the work is continuing without him. For that reason, they have not had much privacy at home and their intimacy has suffered. Each night when they got home he was tired and she was irritable and tensions were high. It had been two months since the joint bubble bath and that had been it. She couldn't even remember going two months without being together when they were under the curse. Mary Margaret and David had a better sex life than she was having at the moment.

She climbed to her feet and gathered up her belongings and tried to remain positive about her appointment.

Across town at that very moment…

Jasmine had engaged Charming in a game of one on one basketball as a means of distracting him. They had a photo session with a famous photographer scheduled for that morning and the photographer was getting exasperated because he could not get Charming to relax.

"We need to something to get your blood pumping." The photographer suggested.

"Basketball is your suggestion?" Charming asked skeptically.

"Well, I can think of one other thing that would get the desired result but it would require us to take off our clothes." Jasmine teased.

"I like the way you think." The photographer returned, "How do you feel about threesomes?" He winked at her.

"I am willing to try anything once." She smiled.

"We are all going to play basketball. Who is going to take the pictures?" Charming asked innocently.

Jasmine face palmed her forehead.

"Is this guy for real?" The photographer asked bewildered.

"Unfortunately, it is starting to look that way." She groaned. "We better just stick to basketball if you want to get your photos shot this week." She explained. "No one can be that incorruptible." She stated under her breath.

"Can we make this fast, I only have about an hour before I have to meet Snow across town for her ultrasound appointment." Charming informed them.

"Don't worry I will keep an eye on the clock." Jasmine lied

She hoped it was enough to distract him and give King George the time he needed to do whatever the hell it was that he needed to do.

It did work and the photographer got his shots and Prince Charming completely lost track of time.

Meanwhile…

Snow was lying on the exam table and staring at the clock. The ultrasound was almost complete and her husband was still not there.

"Everything looks fine to me," The tech informed her, "I will email the images to your doctor and he will look at them though." He pressed a button and the images were sent as an attachment.

"The baby is in the right position of you would like to know your child's gender?" He asked.

"Thank you Harry, but I am waiting for my husband. We want to find out together." She looked at the clock again.

"We can wait a few minutes, but then I really need to leave. I have another appointment."

Snow eyed the clock nervously.

Across town…

Jasmine and Charming walked into the loft that they were using as a campaign headquarters.

"Why can't you just admit that I won because I am the better sportsman?" He asked as he wiped perspiration from his brow.

"You won because you are 6 inches taller than I am and you cheated!" Jasmine insisted playfully.

"I never have to cheat, because I am just naturally good at sports." He countered.

"How noble, but everybody cheats at one time or another." She pointed out sarcastically.

"Not me." He stated with feeling.

Jasmine looked down at a gold box that had just been delivered.

"Godiva Chocolates these are so good. You should try one." She opened the box and offered him one.

"Lady Godiva is selling chocolate now?" He asked perplexed.

"That is just the name of the company." She took a bite of one of the chocolates and exclaimed, "This is heaven. You really should try it." She tried to force him to take a bite of the piece of candy she had just sampled.

"You ate part of that one, besides it has a marshmallow filling and I hate marshmallow!" He exclaimed in disgust.

He looked up at the clock and noticed the time. With panic in his voice he asked, "Is that really the time?"

Jasmine shrugged and replied, "There is no reason why that clock should be wrong."

"I told you we could only play for an hour. I was supposed to meet Snow for her ultrasound appointment two hours ago."

"I guess we were having so much fun that we lost track of time." Jasmine stated innocently.

"It is your job to keep track of time. I told you I had an important appointment! I need to take a shower and try and find my wife and make this up to her." He stated angrily.

"I picked you out two suites to wear tonight." Jasmine informed him. "Look them over and decide between the two."

"You are dressing me now?" He asked with frustration in his voice.

"I am your campaign manager. It is part of my job to make sure that you make a good impression. This dinner tonight will help you reach out to you voters." She instructed.

He ran his hand through his hair. He had forgotten.

"I will be wearing purple. So I left you a purple tie. It would be good if me matched, but I left you several other choices as well." She patted him on the cheek.

The loft had a bathroom and that was where he was headed.

"Do you need someone to scrub your back?" She asked hopefully.

He looked at her as if she had grown and extra head.

Meanwhile…

Snow had given up hope that her husband would make it to the appointment. She had sent the technician to his next appointment and was starting to get redressed when a nurse came in with a sever expression on her face.

"I am sorry Ms. Blanchard but the doctor reviewed the ultrasound and he thinks there maybe a problem. He would like us to perform a few extra tests." The nurse was rummaging around in a drawer.

Snow felt that the ground beneath her had opened up and she was being swallowed whole. She reached out to hold onto the hand of her husband and found that he still was not there. She gulped back tears and tried to remain calm.

"There maybe something wrong with the development of the lungs of the fetus." The nurse informed her as she pulled out the longest needle Snow White had ever seen.

"Can these tests wait until my husband is here?" She pleaded with near tears in her eyes.

"They are really very simple and painless for both you and the fetus. They will be over in a couple of minutes and then the doctor will be able to review the results and decide on a course of action."

"Unless you stop referring to my child as a fetus and tell me what is going on this minute I will do something drastic to you and it will not be quick, simple or painless!" She seethed.

The nurse gave her an unhinged smile.

"I can always sedate you if need be." The nurse threatened. She bent over Snow with a needle in her hand. She placed a hand on the stomach of the Princess and then pulled it back as if she had been attacked. She had received a very nasty shock.

The nurse was momentarily distracted and Snow used that distraction to her full advantage. She pushed the nurse over against a cabinet and ran for her life. She collided in the hallway with another person. She looked up and saw that it was Emma and she clung to her.

Across town…

The minute that Charming was alone in the bathroom he pulled out his cell phone and tried to call his wife. All he got was her voice mail.

Meanwhile…

"I was just coming to see how your appointment went." Emma looked perplexed when she saw that her mother was still wearing an exam gown.

"Something is not right here." Her mother informed her with fear in her eyes.

"I can tell from the look on your face that something is wrong. Where is David?" Emma asked suspiciously.

"I don't know. He never showed up for the appointment and then a nurse came in and said that there was something wrong with the lungs on the baby and she had a needle Emma and I ran!"

Emma looked at her mother with concerned eyes and saw that she was nearly hysterical.

Emma opened the door to the exam room and peered inside.

"The room is empty." She informed her mother.

Snow looked in and was perplexed by what she saw. "I did not imagine it!" She insisted firmly.

Emma held up a discarded needle. "I know you didn't imagine it. Is this the needle?"

"Yes," Her mother said firmly, "Was she trying to inject me with something? She mentioned sedation."

Emma looked closely at the needle. "There is nothing in it. It could be that she was going to do the test ordered by your doctor. I will help you get dressed and then we can go talk to him and get to the bottom of this."

Emma helped her mother put on her clothes and then helped her to stand up. Snow was unsteady on her feet.

"I think we should go down to the cafeteria and get you something to eat and then we will go see the doctor." Emma suggested.

"We will go see him first and then go to the cafeteria." Her mother insisted as she marched upstairs to the doctor's office.

Snow stormed into the doctor's office and stared him square in the eyes.

"What is wrong with my baby?" She asked with anger in her voice.

The doctor looked up from his computer.

"Good morning Ms Blanchard. I am looking at the ultrasound pictures right now and as far as I can see, your child is developing fine." The doctor stated calmly.

Snow was left speechless, so Emma intervened on her behalf.

"Did you request a test that involved a freaking long needle because you had some concerns about the lung development of the child?" Emma calmly asked.

"I did not request any tests. There is nothing wrong with the lung development of the child or any other aspect of development. What you are describing sounds as if someone was trying to take a DNA sample." He stated simply.

Meanwhile…

Jasmine had gone around the corner and called King George/DA Spencer.

"I hope you got what you needed," She informed him, "Because I don't think I am going to be employed as his manager for much longer." She informed him.

"I did not get what I needed. The incompetent nurse was unable to get a simple SNA sample. I am going to have to go forward with my plans without that information." He stated angrily.

"I think the man must have no interest in sex whatsoever. How he even helped conceive a child, much less two of them is beyond me." Jasmine snorted angrily.

"You assured me you could seduce him!" George replied with venom in his voice.

"There are a couple of things I can try tonight at the dinner. First of all, I can get him drunk and then I can pull out my sob story about lost love." She smiled.

Across town…

Snow felt a little better after Emma bought her a malt soda at the diner.

"Do you think that Doctor Whale might have tried to get a DNA sample?" She asked Emma.

"I doubt it. I think he just suggested that to try and wind up David. The man is a doctor he should know that there is no way in hell that he could be the father of your child unless you are carrying a pachyderm." Emma shrugged.

"True. Do you think I over reacted to that nurse?" Snow asked cautiously.

"It is a mother's job to overreact. If your doctor didn't order the test, then something bad was going on. I think you reacted to a dangerious situation." Emma ate a French fry.

Marco walked into the diner and spotted Snow and Emma sitting in a booth.

He approached them hesitantly.

Snow looked up and smiled and waved him over.

"Marco, how is the cabin renovation commencing?" She asked happily.

He looked down at his feet in embarrassment.

"Is there a problem?" Snow asked.

"I hate to bother you with this, but it has been several months since I have been able to buy materials or pay my workers." He said sadly.

"Has David blown through the treasure already?" Emma asked sarcastically.

"All I know is that I have purchase orders that must be signed, but whenever I leave messages for the Prince he does not return my calls." Marco replied.

"I am sure it must be some kind of a mistake." Snow assured him. "Can I sign the purchase orders?" She asked.

"I am sorry; it must be the signature of David Nolan. If you were his wife it would be different" He told her apologetically.

Snow nodded in understanding. That was another thing that had fallen by the wayside; their plans to get remarried had all but evaporated.

"Never mind, I have lots of money. 28 years on a teacher's salary allows you to sock away a lot in savings. I will write you a check." She pulled out her check book and scribbled an amount.

"Is this enough to pay the workers and buy materials?" She asked.

He took the check and his eyes grew big, "It is more than enough." He promised as he went away happy.

Snow frowned.

"Do you think he might have spent the treasure?" Emma asked.

"What could he have possibly spent that much money on?" Her mother exclaimed. "The last time we checked on the treasure we had hardly made a dent in it. That was a month or so ago. I know he is paying the4 rent on the loft he is using for the headquarters for his run for mayor. I guess he pays Jasmine a salary." She frowned again.

Snow's cell phone rang for what must have been the 20th time in the past 30 minutes. She looked at the caller ID and refused the call for the 20th time.

"Is that David calling again?" Emma asked rolling her eyes.

"It is your father calling." She stated angrily. "I can not think of what could have possibly sidetracked him this afternoon!"

"I have an idea." Emma stated sadly.

Snow bit the middle of her bottom lip, "Emma do you know something that I need to know about your father?" She gave her daughter an intimidating look.

She then proceeded to tell Snow about Jasmine's attempts at seducing David and how she was afraid that one of those attempts had seceded.

Snow's eyes grew large and serious, "Emma do you think that your father is cheating on me with Jasmine?" She asked.

Emma thought for a moment, "I don't know. It might explain the missing money. Have you guys been, you know close lately?" She asked seriously.

"No, but we have both been busy." Snow considered how weak that argument sounded. "If you father is cheating on me, and that is a huge if in my book, I will kill them both." She seethed.

"No court would convict a pregnant woman." Emma informed her. "I'll drive you to the loft, but first we need to make a stop and pick up something."

"What?" Her mother asked.

"We need to stop by the closed library and pick up my father's sword." Emma coolly informed her mother.

Snow had insisted on checking on the treasure as well. When they got to the cave they found that it was undisturbed and looked pretty much the same as it had the last time Snow had seen it. He husband had not burned through their nest egg.

Snow felt incredibly silly walking up to the loft carrying a sword, but Emma had suggested. The door was unlocked and she pushed it aside. The loft was furnished sparsely. A couch with a coffee table satin the middle of the room and there was a long table with banks of phones that volunteers used to call potential voters. There was a pile of posters stating that David Nolan was the man to lead Storybrooke. There was a folder of proofs from the photographic session earlier in the day. She looked through them and was surprised to see that they were of him playing one on one basketball with Jasmine. She noted a hunger in his eyes that she never seen before. She shuddered and closed the folder. There was a hanging rack with a garment bag on a hanger. She was about to unzip the bag when she heard the shower running. All kinds of horrible thoughts ran through her mind. As she made her way to the bathroom she held the sword out in front of her. She closed her eyes as she opened the shower door.

She stood there with her eyes tightly shut, with his sword in her hands and waited for her husband to kiss her and wake her up from the nightmare.


	20. Chapter 20:

I am starting to think that I should rename this story, "Fifty Shades of Snowing." I think someone beat me to it though!

All I claim to own are the words you see here. Sometimes I wonder if I should claim those!

Chapter 20: You are nearly naked and I am pregnant. We can talk later.

"Snow!" A voice called out her name and caused her to reluctantly open her eyes.

She slowly opened her eyes and saw her husband standing underneath the shower head as water cascaded over his body.

His eyes opened wide in surprise, "Sweetheart, you found my sword! A bathroom is no place for it though. It is bound to rust."

He stepped out of the shower, grabbed a towel and wrapped it around his waist and took the sword from her. She followed him out of the bathroom and saw him place the sword on the coffee table. He was wet, nearly naked and dripping water on the floor. He turned to face her and saw the perplexed look on her face. A wily look crossed his face.

"You are alone?" She stated with a confused look in her eyes.

"Technically, I am not alone. You are here with me." He eyes crinkled in merriment. "I have not greeted you properly." He pulled her into his arms and enveloped her lips in a long searing kiss.

Every nerve in her body tingled and she had to remind herself that she was mad at him. What happened earlier in the day could never happen again. Not only had he broken his promise to meet her for the appointment, she had needed him and he had not been there. Plus, he was neglecting the renovations on the cabin.

She pulled away breathless and gave him a serious look. "We really need to have a serious talk."

He nodded in acknowledgement and pulled her to him again, showering her with kisses.

She pulled back again and tried to give him a scolding look. "I mean it! We need to long talk. What happed today is not ok!" She glared at him

"You're right," He agreed, "I am so sorry that I missed the appointment. What happened today was unforgivable." He admitted solemnly.

She sighed, "I wouldn't go so far as to say that it was unforgivable." She frowned in concentration.

He pulled her back to him and started to kiss her again.

"Charming, it has been two months." She whispered against his jaw.

"I know it has been two months." He whispered "It has been 1440 hours since the last time that I made love to my wife and I would very much like to correct that situation right now. We have been busy and the outside world has been interfering. But, right now it is just the two of us. We don't have to worry about Henry or Emma walking in on us." He promised.

"What about Jasmine?" Snow asked with her arms crossed defensively.

"She doesn't have a key." He informed his wife.

This surprised her, "Really?"

"I pay the rent and she works for me. Why would she need a key? She has no reason to be here without me."

That dismissed Emma's theory that her father had set up an illicit love nest with his campaign manager. It still did not explain or excuse his behavior.

"What about that talk?" Snow asked trying to ignore what her body was telling her, which was that it had been 2 months since she had been with her husband, he was pretty close to being undressed and he looked really good wearing only a towel low on his hips.

He sat down on the couch, "Let's talk." He challenged.

Snow found herself fixated on that towel. Was it her imagination or did it keep creepy lower.

"Are you going to put on some clothes?" She asked nearly begging.

"No, what is the point. The second we are finished talking, I am going to rip off every stitch of clothing you are wearing and have my way with you on this couch. I figured this will save us some time." He gave her a seductive grin. "Believe me I have nowhere to be for hours, so I am going to take my good sweet time with you." He promised in a low tone.

Snow whimpered and her resolve dissolved in a puddle at her feet.

"You win!" She exclaimed as she lowered herself to his lap.

"Are you sure?" He asked now with genuine concern in his voice. He would sooner die than force her to do something that she really didn't want to do at that moment.

"You are nearly naked and I am pregnant. We can talk later." She pulled him into a deep, passionate and extremely satisfying kiss. He shifted slightly until she was beneath him. The towel he had been wearing slid to the ground. It was quickly followed by her skirt, blouse and underwear.

Charming kissed her temple and then her cheek, he trailed kissed down her neck and collar bone, he kissed her shoulder and he heard her sigh contently. He had told her the truth when he said that he had no where to be for hours. He was not going to rush things. He had missed being with her too much and he wanted to savor the feeling of having her in his arms. Not to long ago she had gone over his body and told him what she loved about every part of him. It had been one of the most sensual experiences of his life and it had made him feel so loved.

Now, he wanted to return that favor and make her feel loved and appreciated.

He kissed her other temple, "Snow you are beautiful."

She smiled.

He kissed her cheek, "You are so sexy." He whispered.

She sighed contently.

He trailed kisses across her collarbone. He could feel her pulse quicken. "You are loved. There is no one else as special as you in this world or any other." He stated with feeling in his voice.

He kissed her shoulder, "You are kind and generous and so giving. You are playful" He gave her a seductive look and a quick wink. That made her laugh.

He worked his way down her body and continued to sing her praises. He kissed her stomach, the inside of her thigh, her knee bend and continued to tell her what he loved about her.

"You are the fairest of them all. You are my happiness. You are my heart's desire. You are perfection.

He positioned himself above her. "I am yours and you are mine." He kissed her passionately as he claimed her heart, soul and body. She gasped in ecstasy.

He misunderstood though and asked with concern in his voice, "Are you okay?"

She nodded that she was. The last thing on earth that he wanted was to hurt her or their child.

Snow had missed being with her husband. She had not realized how much she had missed the intimacy. Just being in his arms was a luxury that she had been denied for too long.

She missed the nearness of him. She missed being in his arms and she missed the feeling of his body against hers and the feel of him inside of her. It was not just about sex. It was about sharing everything with the one person she loved most in the world. She loved her children and she loved Henry, but her husband was the one she loved first, last and forever.

"I love you," She whispered to him.

"I love you too." He replied before kissing her long and hard again; breathe steeling kisses that rose and fell in perfect sync with the intimate rhythm of their bodies.

Afterwards, he held her tightly against him and kissed the temple of her face and ran his hands through her hair. He was getting used to the length in fact he preferred her hair short. It offered him better access to her neck and ears which were some of her trigger spots. He also found that with her hair shorter it took her less time to get ready in the morning and that left them with more time to pursue other activities. Which of course they had not had time to pursue lately, but that was another story.

What did you expect to find here?" He asked light heartedly.

"I really didn't think it through." She admitted. "Emma told me that Jasmine had been trying to seduce you and Regina had warned us about her as well. Why didn't you mention it to me?" She hit him on the shoulder playfully.

"To tell you the truth, I thought Emma was imagining things. Until today when Jasmine made it pretty clear what she was after. She wanted to have a threesome with the photographer and I had to pretend I had no clue what they were talking about!" He exclaimed.

Snow thought about it for moment. "They bought into the idea that you were that naive?"

"I guess so, but after today I am a little scared of her. She has been trying to seduce me for weeks, but Snow, she was just so bad at it that I didn't realize what she was doing." He scowled.

He reached over to the coffee table and grabbed the box of candy. He bit into one of the chocolates and decided that they were pretty good. He fed the rest of it to his wife. Carmel from the chocolate landed on her chin and he kissed her there.

"You really had no idea what she was planning?" Snow gave him a skeptical look.

"I had no clue." He told her truthfully. "Like I said before, it was the worst attempt at seduction I have ever seen. Some of the things Kathryn tried on David were sexier." He shrugged.

Snow made a face, "Do not ever again use the combination of the words, Kathryn, David and Sexy!" She pleaded.

He grimaced, "Sorry, it won't happen again. If it puts your mind at ease, Kathryn was pretty bad at seduction as well." He fed Snow another chocolate.

"To put my mind at ease, who exactly was a good seductress?" She asked with a serious look on her face.

He thought for a couple of seconds.

"You!" he replied playfully.

"Who else has tried to seduce you?" She asked tilting her head to look up at him.

"Regina is pretty good at seduction as well." He admitted reluctantly.

She gave him a shocked look, "Charming is there something else you need to tell me?" She raised an eyebrow.

"No," He insisted, "You know about how she tried to seduce me before she gave you the apple. Well, during the curse she made dinner one night and tried to seduce me in her kitchen." He replied quickly.

"When was this?" She tried to keep the hurt out of her voice.

"After you were cleared of murder and had made it clear to me in no uncertain terms that you could never forgive me for not standing by you." He winched at the unpleasant memory. "I guess she was not as good at seduction as she believed because she failed."

"Is there any chance that she might have eventually succeeded?" She asked giving him a serious look.

"Not unless she had followed me to Boston. I was packed and ready to leave town rather than live here and have to see you everyday knowing that you could not forgive me for doubting you. If Emma had not broken the Curse when she did I have no idea what would have happened. I have nightmares about it, Snow. But one thing I do know is that I would have never been successfully seduced by Regina. Curse or no curse, it was just wrong." He informed her with genuine feeling in his voice.

She took a deep breath. "I am glad that you told me about this. Are there any other seductress' that you need to tell me about?" She asked with hesitation.

"You," He repeated. "Mary Margaret was pretty good too." He answered wistfully.

"Mary Margaret was not a seductress. She was a school teacher!" She replied as if she were offended "Besides, you chased after her. She was just minding her own business!" She protested.

"Playing hard to get is so hot!" He grinned, "And those repressed outfits that you wore?"

She gave him a puzzled look. "Now you are just teasing me." She challenged.

He gave her a seductive grin. "I really liked those outfits." He looked at her clothes that were spread across the floor. She still dressed like a teacher however her post curse wardrobe was more stylish. Plus she had been able to find some very attractive maternity clothes.

She sat up on the couch and turned away from him so that her back was to him. She could not look at him when she said what needed to be said. Maybe he had not cheated on her, but what he had done was a betrayal none the less.

"Charming, I waited for you today. I kept looking at the clock and telling the technician to hold off a little longer to give you time to get there. Finally, he waited as long as possible and then he had to leave. We were supposed to find out the gender of our child today and I thought that was as important to you as it was to me."

He sat up and ran his hand through his hair, "Of course it is important to me. You and our child are two of the most important things in the world to me." He answered with emotion in his voice.

"Well, lately you haven't been acting like it!" She said with a little more anger than she had first intended to have in her voice.

Her words hurt, but what hurt the most was that he knew what she was saying was true.

"Your right and I wish I could blame someone else for what happened today. But it was my responsibility and I am very sorry. Can we reschedule an ultrasound for tomorrow because I really want to find out together if we are having a girl or a boy?" He grinned. She could not see it but she could tell from his voice that he was sincere.

She found herself smiling at his enthusiasm.

"Maybe, I will call the hospital later and see if I can schedule another ultrasound appointment." She promised.

"There is something else besides the fact that we still do not know the sex of our child. You said you were scared. Did something happen?" He asked in a worried tone.

"It turned out to be nothing." She turned to face him. She proceeded to tell him about the nurse and how scared she had been. First because she thought that there might be something wrong with the development of their child and then because she realized that the nurse meant her harm.

He sat there stunned speechless for several seconds. Then he pulled her into his arms.

"I am so sorry that you had to go through any of that. The baby is okay though?" He rubbed the back of her neck soothingly.

"There is nothing wrong with the baby. The doctor never ordered any tests. The mere thought that there might be something wrong with our child was petrifying and I really needed you there and you were here." She informed him with a hint of anger in her voice. "If Emma hadn't come along when she did, anything could have happened!"

"I'm glad Emma was there, but I should have been there too. You are not going to another appointment alone." He promised. "I consider it my foremost responsibility to protect my family. Today I failed in that responsibility. I can only say he was sorry so many times. Snow, you once told me that actions mean more than words. I will make this up to you thorough my actions." He informed her sincerely.

"There is more." She informed him. "After I finished with the doctor Emma took me to the diner. Geppetto informed me that his crew has not been paid in months for the work they have been doing on the cabin and he needed your signature on some purchase orders for materials." She said sadly.

"Why didn't he say something to me?" Her husband asked.

"He tried to call you, but apparently you never returned his phone calls." She informed him.

"Jasmine put my phone number on some of the posters. I have been getting a lot of crank calls and clearly I missed some important ones. Did you sign the purchase orders?" He asked.

"No, he couldn't accept my signature because I am not your wife. Then bank account is in David Nolan's name. Kathryn could have probably signed them, but she wasn't there!" She was sobbing by that time. "I wrote him a check for $10,000 from my saving account."

"I will pay you back." He said quietly.

"It isn't about the money. It is my home as well and I don't mind helping to pay for it. If you don't want to get remarried and you don't want to renovate the cabin so we can all live there together as a family. I just wish that you would tell us all so we can get on with our lives." She stated with finality.

Once again he was utterly stunned into momentary silence. "Of course I want to marry you. It was my idea!" He exclaimed. "I also want to finish the cabin and I want to do it all before the baby is born."

"Right now, that doesn't seem possible." She sighed.

"Of course it is possible. It is as possible as everything else we have done together. We have survived curses, restored kingdoms, given birth to the savior and found each other several times over. Impossible does not stand a chance against us." He vowed.

Snow laughed in a disbelieving way, "Right now I have to get cleaned up and get dressed for the start of parent/teacher conferences tonight."

He let out a breath of air, "That is tonight?"

"Yes, I mentioned it a week ago." She reminded him.

"Then this is probably not a very good time to remind you that I have a campaign dinner tonight and I was hoping you could go with me? I really don't want to spend the evening alone with Jasmine." Now he was the one that let out nervous laugh.

"This is where we start running up against the impossible. I have to be at the school. This is the first time I have had a chance to speak to some of these parents since the Curse broke. I think we have to face the fact that we are not on the same page right now." She gave him a heartbreaking look.

"I think we are on the same page. We both agree that there is no way that I am going to this thing tonight alone. We'll just have to get creative and find me a date." He grinned.


	21. Chapter 21 Hood and Dagger

This ended up basically being Charming family fluff, but I think family fluff is in order at the moment. I know I could use a little fluff.

I only claim ownership of the words

Chapter 21 Hood and Dagger

Snow dialed a number on her cell phone.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Her husband asked.

"Yes, you want someone to go with you tonight. Why not ask Emma?" She replied.

"You mean aside from the fact that she sent you to kill me?" He asked dryly.

"She wasn't serious." Snow insisted.

"What wasn't I serious about?" Emma asked over the phone.

"Never mind, we have a favor to ask." Snow said joyfully.

"Who is among the group being referred to as we?" Emma asked with skepticism in her voice.

"Your father and I have a favor to ask of you." Snow stated.

"You mean he is still alive?" Emma asked sarcastically.

Charming gave his wife an "I told you so look." Snow frowned and ignored Emma's comment.

"You father has a fundraising dinner this evening and he would be honored if you would accompany him." Snow informed her daughter.

There was only silence from the other end.

"Emma, are you still there?" Snow asked.

"Uhm, I'm still here. The thing is I have to work tonight. Someone has been vandalizing Gold's shop and he is putting pressure on me to find out who is responsible." Emma replied distantly.

"Couldn't you do it another night?" Snow asked.

"I mean he is really pressuring me." Emma replied. "Sorry." She added.

"That's fine." Charming tried to keep the disappointment out of his voice.

"If I finish up early, I will drop by." Emma promised.

"Just be careful." Her father added.

"It's probably some kids just messing around. I would rather deal with it than have Gold go after them on his own terms." Emma added.

"Of course, if you think it is just kids, you might want to ask Henry and see if he has heard anything at school." Snow suggested.

"Good idea." Emma agreed. "I will see you guys at home tonight if I don't see you sooner." Emma said and then hung up.

Charming looked devastated. "Every time I think I am making progress in my relationship with our daughter she proves me wrong." He shook his head sadly.

Snow kissed him on the cheek. "I think we need to find Henry's father. That man has a lot to answer for in regards to what he did to our daughter." She stated with resolve.

Charming nodded his head in agreement. "We are kind of buys at the moment." He reminded his wife.

"Oh, I don't mean now. I don't think he is in Storybrooke and we still don't seem able to leave the town limits. We should look into it though." She suggested.

She noticed that he still looked disappointed.

"Do you want me to go with you tonight?" She asked sympathetically.

"I want you by my side tonight desperately!" He replied, "But I know how important this open house is to you and the students and I know you have to be there." He sighed.

"I am not giving up on finding you a date!" She pulled out her phone and dialed another number.

"Granny's Diner, how may I help you?" Ruby answered.

"Are you busy tonight?" Snow asked her friend.

"That depends on your definition of busy and of tonight?"

"Charming has a fundraising dinner tonight and I need you to go with him." Snow stated.

"There is a full moon tonight." Her friend informed her.

"The dress code for the dinner is formal; you can wear your hood. What time is moonrise?" Snow asked.

"10:30." Red answered.

"Good, he can have you home well before 10:30 tonight. He will pick you up at 7:30." Snow informed her and hung up.

She looked at her husband, "Are you okay with this?" She asked.

"Of course I am okay with her accompanying me tonight. I love Red, she is like the little sister I never had." He gave his wife a reassuring look.

"You don't mind that tonight is right at the start of Wolf's Time?" She asked with hesitation.

"She has especially helped us in the past during the full moon." He reminded his wife, "We owe her a lot!"

Snow kissed her husband, "I love you. Now I need to go take a shower and get ready to go back to the school." She started to get up from the couch.

He placed a hand on her arm, "Since you interrupted my earlier shower, I think it is only fair that I join you." He gave her a wicked smile.

"That is not going to work." She flatly informed him.

A disappointed frown crossed his face, "Why not?" was his pointed reaction.

She looked at the clock, "Because neither of us have time for what would happen if we took a shower together." She gave him a sly look.

"I promise to behave and we will be conserving water." He pointed out.

She gave him a skeptical look, "I am not sure that you know how to behave. But, we will do it for the planet."

"I like the idea of doing it for the planet," He winked "I think I might save that line for another time." He followed her to the bathroom.

True to his word, Snow's husband was a much of a gentlemen as any man could be who was alone in a shower with his naked and very desirable wife. He only tried to kiss her twice. The first time she let him and the second time she put the brakes on his amorous advances.

She was sitting on the couch still wrapped in a towel, helping him decide on a suit to wear for that evening's festivities.

"Who paid for these?" She asked him as she examined several ties.

"I did." He answered simply.

"Okay, that is good because I don't like the idea of Jasmine buying you clothes." Snow shook her head.

"She didn't even pick them out. The shop sent them over and I will send back what I don't pick" He informed her.

"Maybe we should hold to the rest of these. As mayor, you will have more chances to wear suits." She told him.

"David Nolan, animal rescuer extraordinary did not have much occasion to dress up." He pointed out, "But I still prefer the way things were in our realm. You either put on royal attire in the morning or didn't." He shrugged.

"I think you should wear this grey suit tonight with the blue tie." She held up a combination.

"Jasmine said I should wear the purple tie to match her." He mentioned under his breath.

Snow gave him a shocked look. He wasn't sure if she was going to yell at him, or burst into tears.

"Well, that is not going to happen!" She stated firmly as she threw the purple tie behind her on the couch.

There was a knock at the door. Snow looked at her husband, who had a towel draped around his waist. She was still clad only in a towel as well.

"Are you expecting anyone?" She asked.

"No!" He exclaimed.

"I can hear you guys in there!" It was the irritated voice of their daughter.

Charming looked down at his towel. "Maybe I will go get dressed in the bathroom." He commented.

"Good idea." His wife agreed.

She unzipped another garment bag. "What is this?" She asked holding up a black sheath dress.

"When I went to the shop to make arrangements for the suits to be sent over I saw that dress and I thought it would look nice on you. Clearly I had forgotten that you would not be able to come with me tonight." He shrugged.

Snow threw the dress over her head and went to open the door for their daughter.

Emma stood in the doorway stunned for a few moments. She had never seen her mother dressed up.

"Nice dress; Very Breakfast at Tiffany's. Does that mean you are going to the fundraiser with David?"

"No, do you think this dress is inappropriate to wear to a school open house?" Snow asked biting her lower lip.

"Totally," Emma informed her, "But I think you should wear it anyway. It looks good and it fits you perfectly and that may not be the case next week." She pointed out.

Snow wasn't real happy with that statement, but she knew that Emma was telling the truth.

"Will you help me with the zipper?" She asked her daughter.

Emma walked over and started to zip the dress.

"I didn't know that you have a birth mark on your lower back." Emma commented.

"I guess you have never seen my lower back." Her mother replied.

"No, but when Henry was in the hospital recovering from the Sleeping Curse I noticed that he has one in same place. Only I don't have one." She mused.

"It must have skipped a generation." Snow shrugged, "I only know of the existence of mine because your father has mentioned it."

"I do know that you inherited one on your left thigh from me." Charming informed his daughter as he walked out of the bathroom, buttoning the cuffs of his shirt.

Emma gave him a shocked look. "When did you see my left thigh?" She asked.

"The day you were born and never since." He stated with a grin on his face, "So if the birth mark is still there then that means you are still my daughter regardless of how you feel about the matter."

"It is still there." Emma informed him dryly.

He noticed that Snow was wearing the dress and stopped. "You look stunning!" He commented with feeling. He kissed his wife quickly. "Are you sure that you can't skip the open house and come with me tonight?" He pleaded.

"Sorry," His wife apologized, "I must say, you clean up pretty well though." His wife gave him a sly look. "Maybe you need police protection to fend off unwanted female advances." Snow cast a look towards their daughter.

"Not a chance," Emma replied and glanced at her father, "I wanted to stop by and make sure that you are okay with me not going with you tonight?"

He gave her a curious look, "Would it make any difference if I told you I was devastated beyond recovery?" He teased.

"No, because I can tell that you are not devastated beyond recovery. You pretty much wear your emotions on your face 24/7. That used to bug the heck out of me when you were under the curse because most of the time your emotion state was in turmoil. Right now I, I would say that you are pretty happy with an appropriate touch of nervous energy thrown into the mix. You are not devastated." She pointed out.

"You are good at reading people." He agreed.

"Right now, I need to go and grab something to eat at the station and get ready to stake out Gold's shop." She informed her parents reluctantly.

I'll go with you," Snow replied enthusiastically. "I'm starving!" She turned to her husband, "Do you have time to get something to eat?" She asked hopefully.

He looked at a stack of papers on a nearby desk. "I have to give a speech tonight and I should run through it a few times before I pick up Red." He explained.

He saw the disappointed look on the face of his wife. He looked back at the papers, "I guess I can Wing the speech if need be." He grinned and received a heartwarming smile from Snow in return.

"Emma, can you wait for us downstairs?" He asked with a serious note in his voice.

"Sure, just hurry up. I want to drink a butt load of coffee and have it run through my bladder before I have to start watching the shop." She causally informed him as she went out the door.

Snow pulled her husband into a slow searing kiss.

"I meant what I said earlier. You look fantastic in that suit." She pulled back to giving him an admiring look.

"Thank you," He replied shyly. "Did you mean what you said about me needing to guard against female advances?" He asked hesitantly.

"That is why you are taking Red." She replied with a slight smile. She gave him a serious look, "Charming, I trust you." She said in a simply and lovingly voice.

"Is that why you showed up here with my sword earlier?" He glanced at the sword.

"That was Emma's idea." She remarked. "This race for mayor that you are running is taking up so much of your time and I know it is for a good cause, but I still miss spending time with you." She admitted

"I am running for Mayor against Regina for you." He informed her.

"I know, you are doing it for the whole town in order to end the reign of tyranny that Regina has cast over this town for 28 years." She replied.

"I am doing it partly for the town, but mostly for you." He corrected.

She gave him a puzzled look.

"Maybe I am not explaining myself very well." He insisted reluctantly.

"Emma is waiting; can we talk about this tonight?" She asked as she looked towards the door.

"I might be out pretty late." He reminded her.

"I'll wait up for you." She promised.

"Are you still trying to get us an ultrasound appointment for tomorrow morning?" He asked.

"I sent a text message to the technician. I will let you know as soon I hear something. The technician has kind of a crazy schedule, so I could hear from him at any moment." She causally informed him.

Emma stuck her head back in the room, "Can we please go now?" She asked irritably.

"Children are always so impatient!" Charming told his wife, who nodded her head in earnest agreement.

He grinned as he took Snow's hand and they followed their daughter out of the loft.


	22. Chapter 22 We are all Royal

In this chapter King George's evil plan becomes clear.

All I own are the words on the page, not the characters or the places.

Chapter 22

Charming was pleased by the way that the dinner was going. His speech had gone over well. Many friends that he had not seen since before the Curse was cast were in attendance. A group of his loyal guards had approached him and suggested that they would like to reestablish the royal guard and in order to act as body guards for him and his family. He had told them that he would take the matter under consideration. He would have to talk to Snow and see how she felt about the idea. The food had been terrible and had consisted of a chicken dish that was hard to identify, however champagne was free flowing and no one seemed to care about what they had been feed. Perhaps things were not going as well as he thought and it was the champagne clouding his judgment. He had a little more than he would normally have to drink, but he figured he was paying for it and might as well drink his share. He saw Ella and Thomas across the room and waved them over.

They exchanged hugs and kisses.

"I am so sorry that Snow and I have not come to see the two of you." He apologized sincerely.

"Things have been a little hectic since the Curse broke, we understand. All of us are getting used to starting over." Thomas assured his friend.

Charming grabbed several glasses of champagne off of the tray of a passing waiter.

"Then let us toast to "new beginnings." Charming suggested.

Thomas took the glass his old friend offered, but Ella indicated the glass in her hand. "I am sticking to sparkling water tonight." She said cryptically.

Charming understood immediately. "Are the two of you expanding your family?" He asked his friends.

He could tell by the grin of the face of Prince Thomas that it was true.

"What wonderful news!" Charming turned to Ella. "I know how badly you and Snow wanted to raise your children together the first time. Now you will have that chance. How far along are you?"

"Three months," The fair haired princess blushed, "Once again, we are slightly behind the two of you." She smiled.

"If there is anything that Snow or I can do to help the two of you, please do not hesitate to ask." He demanded gently.

"We are actually doing better now than we were under the Curse. Granny is paying me extra to clean the rooms. Thomas is picking up extra hours at the garage and his father bought us a house." Ella proudly informed their friend.

"The two of you are Royalty. You should not have to work as a maid, Ella." Charming stated forcefully.

"We don't mind working." Thomas insisted.

"If I am elected mayor, you will have jobs that are worthy of your talents." He promised.

"I think you mean when you are elected." Ella corrected. "Actually I do have an idea I would like to run by you. You may or may not have noticed that Storybrooke lacks adequate child care. I have some ideas." Ella suggested.

Charming grinned, "Snow mentioned that to me, the two of you must get together and exchange ideas."

"Meanwhile, we would like to contribute a little to your election fund." Thomas informed his friend.

Charming knew that they did not have much and the gesture moved him deeply. However, he could not take money from the struggling young couple.

"You support and friendship is more than enough." He insisted.

"It would mean a great deal to us." Ella insisted.

He saw the sincerity in their eyes and knew that he had little choice.

"Let me find Jasmine and she will enter your donation." He promised. He looked around and did not see his manager. He also noticed that Red was missing. Something told him that the two were connected and that was a bad sign. When he arrived for the dinner the first thing he noticed was that Grumpy was not with Jasmine. He asked her about it and she had simply stated that they were no longer together. He suspected that she had used the dwarf only to make contact with him; and that did not sit well with the prince.

Charming wondered out into the hall and cool air hit his face. He realized two things, it was hot and stuffy in the dining room and he had consumed more champagne than he realized. The cool air had a sobering effect. He noticed that a light was on in one of the rooms where they had been putting people's coats. He looked for Jasmine in the room, but there was no sign of her. He was about to leave when he received a text message. He looked at the number and realized it was from Snow.

"We have an ultrasound appointment at 8:30 in the morning. Do not be late!" It warned. It was followed by another message, "I love you." He smiled broadly. He was still thinking about the message when he turned to leave the room and was accosted. He comes face to face with Jasmine as she kisses him hard on the mouth. It is forced and unpleasant. He can smell the alcohol on her breath and when he pulls away he can see the glassy look in her eyes.

"What the hell are you doing?" He asked angrily and then added, "Are you drunk?"

She tried to kiss him again, but he was prepared and side stepped out of the way.

"Everyone has been drinking." She insisted. "You have too." She pointed out.

He takes her hands off of his shoulders, "I have not had that much to drink!" He scolded her.

"I know that you want me." Jasmine insisted

"You know nothing about me." He informed her with a sad shake of his head. "Otherwise you would know that I am eternally in love with my wife and only want her. I do not want to make a scene here tonight, but you and I are going to have this out tomorrow. Be at the loft at 10:30 in the morning" He angrily spits out the words and then runs his hand through his hair to try and calm himself.

Jasmine has a deer caught in headlights look on her face. When he turns around he realizes that she is not frightened because he has reprimanded her. Red is standing behind them and she looks unhappy. For a moment, Charming is afraid that she saw the kiss and misunderstood his intentions. However, he quickly realizes that she is not wearing her cloak.

"My hood is missing!" She stated urgently.

"What happened?" He asked her.

"I left it on a chair while I went to the ladies room and when I came back, it was gone." Red exclaimed in wide eyed panic.

Charming called over his shoulder, "Jasmine you had better not be responsible for this!" He turned and looked for her, but she was gone.

"It is almost 10:00 and the moon is supposed to rise at 10:30. We have to find that cloak." Red reminded him urgently.

Snow sat alone in her classroom. The students were gone along with their parents. The principle was gone home as well. In fact, she was likely the last person to leave. She put her head down on her desk for a few moments. What a horrible night it had been. She had hoped that her husband would call her after she had sent him the text. She desperately needed to talk to him, to be reassured by him. Regina had showed up. She had not physically threatened Snow, what she had done was far worse. She had managed to turn the parents and the principle against her. She had turned it into a rally for her reelection. She had stood up in front of the parents and proclaimed that she was only interested in the education of their children. Then she had subtlety suggested that the children were not getting the best education from their teachers. All the time she had been looking straight at Snow. She supposed maybe Regina had a point. She wasn't trained as a teacher, but she was good at it and it gave her a purpose. What was she supposed to do now that the Curse had been broken, put on a cape and go around stopping crime? That was Emma's job.

Snow looked down at her phone; Still no reply from Charming.

"He must be having too much fun to call me back." She said out loud with a heavy sigh.

She stood up and wiped a tear from her eye. She looked at the clock and saw that it was a little after ten. It was time to go home. Walking down the hallway alone she had the feeling that someone was watching her. She turned around several times to look behind her, but the hallway was always empty.

Back at the Town Hall, contrary to what Snow believed, Charming was not having fun at all. Emma burst through the doorway with her hand on her gun.

"What's the emergency?" She asked urgently as she faced her father.

"My hood is missing!" Red informed her.

Emma gave her father a perturbed look, "That is not a 911 emergency. David do you have so little respect for me that you are willing to pull me off of a stake-out to help you find a missing piece of clothing?" She scolded.

"It is Wolf's Time." Red informed her.

"We have about 20 minutes until moonrise." Her father said quickly.

Full realization dawned on Emma's face.

"Where have you looked?" She asked with panic in her eyes.

"We have people looking over every inch of the Town Hall." Charming told her.

"Could someone have picked it up by accident?" Emma asked.

"I left it on my chair for 5 minutes." Red answered.

"I think Jasmine might have taken it." Charming frowned. "She has disappeared." He added.

"Have you checked the outside cameras?" Emma asked.

Her father frowned again. "I had no idea that they existed."

"Graham told me about them. He said that Regina put them in for security. Knowing what I now know, I think she did it so she could keep track of everyone in town while they were under the Curse."

Emma led them to a small control room next to the Mayor's office. They replayed the taped footage from the cameras outside of the building. Sure enough, Jasmine could be seen leaving by a side door and throwing something in a dumpster.

"Why would she do that?" Red asked.

"She had certain plans for me tonight and I think she saw you as an obstacle." Charming stated wearily.

"She thought it would be better to have wolf running around town?" Emma asked sarcastically. "You had better go get your cloak." She turned to Red.

She happily ran from the room. About 30 seconds later they saw her on the surveillance screen. She was pulling her hood out of the dumpster.

"I hope there wasn't much trash in that dumpster." Emma shrugged. "Do you want me to go pull in Jasmine and beat her with a rubber hose?" She asked her father.

A smile crossed his face. "Would you really do that for me?"

"It would be all in the name of justice!" She replied. "That girl is crackers." She added.

Her father nodded his head in agreement. "I will deal with her tomorrow when I fire her as my manager and tell her to stay the hell away from me and my family!" He promised.

Emma turned to him again. "Have you been drinking?" She accused.

Charming looked like a guilty teenager who had been caught throwing a wild party. Emma stood at the door of the town hall collecting car and truck keys from people as they left the building.

"How much champagne did you serve tonight?" She asked in a shocked tone.

"I will know the answer to that question when I get the bill next week." Her father sighed.

Ella and Thomas were among the last to leave. "Designated driver!" Ella pointed to herself.

Emma nodded in understanding. She surveyed the room. There were bottles and empty glasses everywhere. "Who is responsible for cleaning up this mess?" She asked.

"The caterers are supposed to do clean up." Charming answered.

"I think I took their van keys away from them." She admitted.

Her father looked shocked.

"David they were drunk!" She replied strongly.

He started to leave as well, "Keys!" Emma demanded.

"Emma, I am not drunk!" He protested.

"But you have been drinking. If I let you drive you might hit one of those poor sods that I making walk home." She insisted.

He reluctantly handed her his keys. She stuffed them in her pocket and then saw him reach for a half full bottle of champagne and poured another glass.

"Hey! What do you think you are doing?" She chastised.

He shrugged, "I am paying for it. Why let it go to waste? It is really good stuff. You should have a glass." He suggested.

She gave him a disappointed look, "Designated driver, remember." She insisted. "What happened here tonight? You are as tight as an owl and that is so unlike you." She sat down at the table across from her father and gave him a serious look.

"I realized tonight that a lot of people are counting on me to win this race." He sighed.

"So, from what I have heard people have always counted on you as their leader. Has your answer always been to get drunk?" She gave him a concerned look.

"I hardly ever get drunk. In fact you are witnessing a first. You are also witnessing the end of my political career. After I fire Jasmine tomorrow morning my chances of becoming mayor are next to nothing." He sighed.

"You are probably right. Jasmine will probably run right to Regina and help her win. Are you sure that you have to fire Jasmine?" Emma asked.

"Absolutely and the worst part is that it means my plan is going to fail and it was a good plan!" He stated and started to drink the champagne from the bottle.

"What plan?" Emma asked.

He ignored her question.

"You are going to fire her and end your political career all because she threw Ruby's cloak in the dumpster?" She asked shocked.

"Emma, she kissed me." He stated matter of fact, "The thing is I kind of liked it." He shrugged.

She gave him a crazed look and nearly dropped a glass she had picked up. "You liked being kissed by Jasmine?" She seethed.

He gave her a shocked look in return.

"No, of course I didn't like being attacked by her!" He protested. "I liked running for mayor. I liked giving the speeches and making plans and making a difference." He sighed.

Emma reached across the table and placed a hand on his, "Maybe you still can make a difference."

He looked hopeful, "You really think I still have a chance to win."

"Sure, why not. Now drink this." She handed him a cup of coffee that she got off of a nearby table. "If I take you home drunk, Mary Margaret will never forgive me." She informed with more than a little sarcasm in her voice.

"What about your stake-out, do you need to go back to watching Gold's shop?" He asked.

"I caught the culprits and let them off with a warning." She sighed.

"Was it a bunch of kids?" He asked.

"No, it was Leroy and Granny. It seems that Belle has been running up a tab at the diner and Gold refuses to pay." She sighed. "I gave them a warning and told them that I would talk to Gold about paying her tab.

Her father burst out laughing. "I needed that!" He informed her. At least that explained why Grumpy had not been at the dinner. Leave it to him to show up where the action was.

Emma frowned and found a paper cup to pour the coffee into. "Let's go home." She said wearily.

Snow was waiting up for them when they got home. She had her shoes off and she was on the couch with her feet propped up on a pillow.

Charming walk over and sat down beside her and moved to kiss his wife. She looked up at him and pushed him away. A wounded look crossed his face.

"You smell like Jasmine!" She accused. "Is that lipstick on your collar?"

Emma gave him a perturbed look.

"How did that get there?" He asked perplexed.

"Did you make out with her?" Emma reproached him.

He stood up outraged. "I told you what happened "She attacked me. Emma use your super power and see if I am lying." He pleaded.

Emma studied him, "For some reason it does not work on you." She pointed out.

He gave his daughter a disappointed look.

"Are you drunk?" His wife asked.

"Not as drunk as I was an hour ago when Emma was driving me around town and made me drink cold coffee." He admitted soulfully.

Snow gave him a perturbed look and stood up. "I have had a hell of a night and I don't have to sit around and watch this comedy of errors!" She protested with a hurt look on her face. She stormed upstairs. He moved to follow her.

"Snow!" He called after her urgently.

"Shower first." Emma suggested.

He nodded his head in agreement and headed for the bathroom.

He let the water cascade over his head and down his back. This was the third shower that day. The last one had been a whole lot more fun. While he had been riding around with Emma all he could think about was how badly he wanted to be home with his arms wrapped around the woman he loved. Somehow that had gone very badly. He turned the water off and slipped on the robe that he kept in the bathroom. He found his wife curled up on the bed with her knees pulled up as far against her chest as they could possibly go considering her ever expanding belly. She was clutching a teddy bear to her chest. It had been in Emma's nursery in the Enchanted Forest. It was another lost and found item from Gold's shop.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

"No!" She responded simply.

"Can we talk?" He asked softly.

"No!" She replied and turned over so her back was facing him.

He went to the dresser and pulled on a t-shirt and pair of lounge pants. He watched her watching him get dressed in the mirror. The look in her eyes was one of admiration. That was a good sign. If she was really irreconcilably angry at him she would not be looking at him getting dressed.

"Did something bad happen tonight?" He asked.

"You mean something worse than my husband coming home smelling like another woman and with lipstick on his collar?" She asked sarcastically

He cautiously sat down on the bed. "Thomas and Ella wanted to donate money to my campaign. Jasmine was nowhere to be found and so I went to look for her and she ambushed me in the coat room. She kissed me, but that was as far as it went. I love you Snow and only you. I don't even really like Jasmine. I thought she could help me become mayor. Maybe she could have, but it wouldn't be worth it if I have to hurt you in order to lead this town. Second thing tomorrow morning I am meeting Jasmine at the campaign office and I am firing her." He stated with feeling in his voice.

"What is the first thing you have planned for tomorrow?" She asked.

"Right after our ultrasound appointment which is the most important thing I have scheduled for tomorrow." He reminded her.

"You have missed the last 3 appointments." She pointed out.

"I am so sorry about that. I have been so fixated on winning this race and beating Regina that I have lost sight of what is really important. I don't want to be mayor if I lose you. Firing Jasmine will probably end my political career anyway, but if not than I am willing to pull out on my own." He let out a breath of air.

"It is so noble of you to give up your dream for me!" She stated through gritted teeth.

A stunned look crossed his face.

"Snow, it is clear that you are unhappy and I hate to see you unhappy. I don't know what you need from me though. So, tell me how I can make you happy." He asked.

"it is not always about you Charming! You could always take off your clothes and let me watch you get dressed again." She teased with a half- smile.

"If that is what it takes to make you happy, I will do that all night." He promised. "Did something happen at school during the open house?" He asked.

He saw a familiar faraway look in her eyes.

"Regina was there? Did she try and hurt you or threaten you?" He asked with grave concern on his face.

"What she did was much worse. She always wanted to turn people against me and tonight she succeeded beyond her wildest dreams. She turned the parents against me by implying that I was not fit to teach their children. After she gave her speech the parents and the principle ambushed me and informed me that it might be best if I not return to teaching after I have this baby." She stifled a sob.

"You are a wonderful teacher." He wrapped his arms around her.

"What if I don't have a job to go back to after the baby is born?" She started to cry.

"You will. I looked it up and they have to give you 12 weeks off to have the baby and they can't fire you during that time. You are so good with the kids that it would be a crime if you did not go back after the baby is born I would like for you to consider being mayor."

She pulled back puzzled.

"You are the one running for Mayor though." She reminded.

"I am only running for Mayor so that you do not have to run against Regina. The two of you have too much history. She would rip you to shreds. The only thing she can use against me is my family and she is too smart to publically come after any of you. My plan was to win against her and then step aside and appoint you as my successor."

"Can you do that?" Snow asked.

"It is in the town bylaws." He informed her. "Of course, after I fire Jasmine tomorrow there is little chance that I will beat Regina." He sighed.

"You really think that she would have picked me apart if I had run against her?" Snow asked.

Her husband gave her a loving look, "Snow Regina has spent most of your life doing such a head trip on you that you sometimes forget that you are beautiful, smart, and talented born leader. Tonight is a prime example of that head trip. She had your confidence so undermined that you forgot that you are a great teacher. That in turn made you forget that you are my one true love, the most beautiful woman in my life and that I could never even think on cheating on you with someone else. I am only Prince Charming because that is the name you gave me. I am really only a shepherd." He stated with feeling.

She wasn't buying it. "I know better. I may have forgotten your real name, but I haven't forgotten who you really are. You are every bit as royal as I am and you were born to lead as well. The path of True Love may have led your mother away from the palace but that does not make you any less of a prince. Charming, you are a good leader. I have faith that you can beat Regina without the help of that Harpy Jasmine. I have faith in you, but who else knows about your plan to win and step aside?" She asked.

"None knows except us two." He admitted. "That is the way I like it Snow; You and I against the world. How funny that my mother married a shepherd in order to escape the royal life and her son the shepherd ended up married to a princess anyway."

He pulled her back into his arms. She leaned her head against his shoulder and for the first time in a long time they both got a good night sleep not knowing the nightmare that awaited them the next day.

In the back of Gold's shop King George held a small white device in the palm of his hand. Gold watched him examine the piece.

"There are only two of them and I need them both back in good condition!" Gold warned him.

"Don't worry I plan on taking good care of them. You are sure that it is ready to use tomorrow?" The king asked.

"I have tested it on animals and they were able to cross back and forth across the town line unharmed." Gold shrugged, "You and Snow White will be my first human subjects though."

George grabbed him by the collar. "You had better not be trying to pull a trick on me." He warned. "What happens if we cross the town line without one of your magic bracelets?"

"You will lose your true memory and revert to your cursed self." Gold said matter of fact.

"Can it be reversed?" George asked in a panic.

"Not by any means I have discovered," Gold admitted. "Why do you want this child so badly that you are going to risk losing your memory forever?" He asked.

"Why do you want the child of Prince Charming and Snow White? Because that is the deal I raise the child and then you take over when he is ready to learn magic."

Gold thought for moment, "This child will be a prince of magic and I am the only one fit to train him. Now you answer my question, why are you so interested in the child of a shepherd?"

George laughed, "Could it be that even the Dark One does not know everything? This child is my blood as was his father and uncle. I am taking back what belongs to me. If my thankless daughter had not run off and married a shepherd than I would have been able to raise both my grandsons properly. It turned out that I was only able to raise James and then he died and Ruth had so badly botched the upbringing of my other grandson that he was able to rebel against me. That child that Snow White is carrying is my legacy. That child will be the first in my new dynasty. That child will be undefeated! The only people who would dare to try and defeat him will be his own parents."

Then manacle look in the eyes of the former king should have scared Gold, but as usual when people are getting what they want they tend to overlook the method of accusation.

"Tomorrow I will use these devices to take Snow White and her unborn child out of Storybrooke and hide them away until the child is born. Then I will be unstoppable!" George vowed with vengeance.


End file.
